Maximum Ride The Ultimate, The Only
by HumanAvianHybridsRock
Summary: (COMPLETE) Max rides again! This time with Fang and the WHOLE flock just like it's supposed to be with no compromises. Everyone is family like old times, like always. TEAM FANG ALL THE WAY! FAX fluff! X3 Prepare for hardcore FANGurl feels.
1. Chapter 1: Bird Kids

Chapter 1: Bird Kids

Fluffy clouds complemented with pinks and violets coloring them; I am greeted to this symphony of colors at sunrise as I awaken. In a tree. Yes, it is true I fell asleep in a tree. I sigh as I stare up at the sky recalling how this all came to be. Oh yes, I left for a midnight flight last night solitarily; just me soaring in the sky with my powerful hawk-like wings carrying me. Then came a thunderstorm from the east, forcing me to me to ground for the night in a tree to seek shelter. Yup, this is the life of me, Max, Maximum Ride. A bird kid, mutant-freak, or human avian hybrid whatever you may call me. _Ugh_, I think, _should've chosen a softer branch_. My upper and lower back both seem to complain with aches which I ignore. Perching with precision and ease, I look down. I am suspended at least seven feet; I am not able to jump down. With a few flits of my wings I touch down to the forest floor. Now is the search for breakfast, but I decide that my hunger is not fatal therefore it can wait. **Caw! Caw! ** A crow from above calls getting my attention for two seconds. These are rural woods I remember, there are critters that live here. I know to be watchful, for I have no clue what kind reside here either.

"Getting home. Hmmm." I mutter to myself. I come to a clearing of oaks to run and lift off. Airborne once again, I think it will be useful to get a view of my location from on high so I can find my way back. Peeking above all the towering trees I see that I truly am lost. _Oh crap_, I think, _I hope the flock isn't in a fit looking for me. _I turn to the north, more trees which are really helpful.

"MAX!" I hear my name called from above the layer of clouds as I hover.

"Iggy?!" I shout back in high hopes that it is my best blind friend in the whole wide world. Blind is right, fly he can, and he does it well I say. More about him later. Following my voice he swoops down to about twenty feet away.

"Max! I heard you call me! Where are you?!" I faintly pick up on his voice as he yells towards the other direction facing away from me.

"Turn around Iggy! It's me, behind you!" I practically scream.

Iggy zips to me, "Oh Max!"

"We've been looking for you all morning as soon as we saw you weren't in bed we_"

"I got lost, I apologize." I interrupt.

"It's cool, let's inform the others!" Iggy is already ahead of me by several yards, I turn to go to. With strong beats of my wings I catch a breeze and manage ahead. We silently race as we near towards the others to join them again. I chuckle, and he grins broadly. Iggy and I are brothers and sisters to each other; although not related, we are family. Close as close can be. In fact that's what it is with our whole flock. We always to strive to keep the bond, but in the past that hasn't always worked. Splitting and reuniting of the flock has occurred on more than one basis, but after last time we all agreed to keep our unity strong. Advice to you from me is avoid conflict at all costs.

"Maxy!" I hear Nudges' cheerful, girly voice acknowledge me.

"Don't call me that!" I say winking, we reunite hugging. Surprising me from behind is Gazzy and his sister, Angel. They both smother me with kisses, hugs, and high-fives. Next there's Fang; plain, old black-haired Fang. In a Black Veil Brides t-shirt and the usual sweet, mischievous smile.

"Hi," he pecks me on the cheek. Yes, I will say at first this relationship was awkward to the rest of the flock, but the mutual agreement we all made is that we wouldn't let romance put the safety of our family of bird kids, the 'flock' at risk.

"Maximum, you had us concerned. Don't go with without leaving a note or something, please." Fang's facial expression turns serious, but soft in a loving, caring manner. I glance again into his dark fudge brown eyes and sigh. My tangle of hair falling around me, a mess on my shoulders.

He smiles and says, "Don't do it again without notifying us." With that notion the subject is dropped.

"To Denny's!" Nudge points to the west and the flock follows. I stop the beat of my wings, and drop to catch a breeze and sail on it far behind the others. Fang flies above me, he gets low enough to put his arms around my waist and hold me. "Max, I love you to Mars and back." He gently let's go, and flies a few feet higher. I am reminded of his cute crush on me. The sunshine hits his black hair and wings making them shine. I smile, astounded and float on the breeze for a moment more then boost ahead. I am exuberant this morning and I know nothing can bring down my mood.

"Denny's just ahead!" I hear Angel cry in her cute, little girl voice. We are on her tail as she veers left then nose dives. We all follow in formation and continue for forty seconds until we extend our wings like parachutes to catch us and glide and land on both feet.

Inside, we fill a booth and are given menus upon sitting down.

"I am Carrie, your waitress today!" A server sets or menus on the table, she's dressed as a server should.

"I'll take four pancakes and O.J.!" Gazzy beams.

"Chocolate milk and veggie omelet over here!" Nudge speaks.

"Crepe and milk for me!" I order.

"Pumpkin pancakes and apple juice," Angel grins.

"OOH! Macho man breakfast burrito! Bacon, ham, eggs, and all the works." Iggy nods contently.

"I'll take cereal and chocolate milk, three eggs, and apple house smoked bacon for a side." Fang murmurs quietly. He's pretty much to himself in public.

"Ok Great!" Carrie smiles and rushes off. I see Angel watch as she departs, clearly she is reading her mind.

"What's she thinkin' Angel?" I whisper in her ear.

"What a bunch of stupid kids." Angel giggles; I chuckle light-heartedly hoping no suspicion would arise.

The meal was pretty good, but towards the end everyone still wanted more and so did I. I mean, that's normally a fifth of what we all eat each. Why? Well, normally we all consume four thousand to seven thousand calories a day because our bodies require more energy for sustenance than humans need. And, to order that much food at one restaurant could get us weird looks any day.

"Let's hit up a Jack in the Box," I offer, "spread out or meal to stay on low profile."

"No, let's order more here." Fang mutters.

"Do you recall what happened last time we did that in New York City? Do you remember how we were revealed because we had to book it?" I reminded him.

"Yes." He replies.

"Okay kids we're going!" Fang reaches for his steel wallet (chained to his pants to not fall out when flying) to pay.

"Bye!" Carrie waves clearly not caring as long as she got paid. We all walked out glad to be out again and find a field to take off in ro find another restaurant.

"There, a B.K.!" I spot one below us in another small town.

"DIVE!" I hear Gazzy leading us all into formation to land again, as we plummet I near Angel and smile with my eyes watering like crazy. Upon touchdown I kiss her on the cheek and embrace her, then walk towards the town.

"Nudge" I say kindly.

"Huh?" She looks over to me.

"You are peculiarly quiet today?" I mention noticing she wasn't up to her normal babble.

"Oh! Um, well I've been thinking," she paused, "I really like a celebrity guy I saw in _Hollywood Hotties_ yesterday. And I know it's a relationship that could never be." She sighs.

"So you're gonna let that stop you?" I ask.

"What's his name?" I inquire.

"Oh. Wendell." She smiles.

"How romantic," I respond trying to be nice (mentally I was laughing).

"Ha! That's a silly name," Gazzy retorts. Both him and Iggy start cracking up. I give them both angry looks that say, "Hey be nice!"Nudge sighs ignoring them.

"Look, honey! I'll find a way for you to meet him and his pretty little face! I promise!" I smiled.

"Oh Max, if you can," she sighs heavily.

With that we went inside and all ate to our heart's content. I had two quarter pounders, an extra large soda, and a side of onion rings. Fang ate three double cheeseburgers, chicken tenders, and an extra large soda. Angel and Nudge shared five southern style chicken salads and two orders of large fries with iced mochas from Starbucks next store. Gazzy and Iggy dared each other to eat five quarter pounders and a side of chicken wings. Iggy won by eating all of his food plus a BIG MAN soda (bigger than the extra large soda). Gazzy could only down two and a half quarter pounders.

"Ahh, those burgers were bomb." Iggy reclined in his spot. Nudge gave him a wide-eyed look.

"Wow," she said with sass and took a sip of her mocha, "I couldn't stomach that if I were forced to."

"I mean poor Gazzy over there can hardly keep it all down." Nudge nodded her head towards Gazzy sitting at a table away from ours. I wondered why he sat away from us.

"Gasmen, come here. Sit with us." I beckoned.

"No Max. I feel like I am about to throw up my food." He groaned. I knew it was so smart to let an eight- year-old eat two and a half quarter pounders. _Gosh Max,_ I think, _great parenting._ I visibly saw him turn green, and knew that was code for "it's coming!" With that I shot up and snatched his hand and dashed outside just in time for it all to be spewed on the grass.

"UUUUUUUUUUUGGG!" Gazzy groaned.

"I am so sorry," I comforted him as a little brother. I knew he had to get home immediately to recover.

"I am so sorry this happened! Next time I won't let you go up on Iggy's dare." I said apologizing for my crappy parenting.

Gasman sighed, "At least it's green so it blends in with the grass." He laughs, and I chuckle. He's got a great sense of humor for an eight-year-old.

"I am going to get you home," I tell him.

"Max, let's beat it!" Fang commanded coming out of the restaurant with everyone.

"What? Why?!" I was alarmed.

"The manager just called the po po! Let's get!" Fang and the flock were off. I pick up Gazzy and join the others knowing we're gonna have to make a quick escape or we'd be caught. I take flight in a flutter with Gazzy in smug my grasp. The staff came chasing us out of the restaurant, but they only see us as tiny specks in the sky. We are far above clouds in the noon sun, and all fly the way home silently and swiftly.

"UGH! Home at last Gazzy," he gets up out of my tight grasp and falls onto the sofa where I wrap him up in his fleece blanket with pillows for cushion. He lies still, and closes his eyes to sleep. I give him only water and nothing else. I sigh, watching him asleep and get up to straighten myself up with a shower and my hygiene duties. The shower soothes my stress. Next I settle down for the day with my laptop. Fang sits at my side, who knows what else the others were doing but as long as they were occupied we enjoyed each other's company sitting together with hot chocolate and enjoying cat videos on YouTube. A calm afternoon is just what I needed, and I was peaceful until 5 PM. Fang is preparing to fix supper when we hear screams.

"AAAAAHH!" I hear Nudge screech.

"NOOO!" I hear Angel from her bedroom she shares with Nudge. I burst in their door to see Iggy cackling on the floor. Angel was covering her eyes and ears, Nudge had a horrified expression.

"What's the commotion?" I demand.

"Iggy showed us _Mama _on Netflix!" Angel sobs.

"IGGY!" I scold him.

"You know you're not allowed to watch rated R movies with them in the room!" I unplug the T.V. and tell everyone except Iggy to step out. When it's just him and I all I do is cross my arms.

"So smart! You're gonna give Angel nightmares you dimwit!" I say shaking my head. He stops laughing.

"I am sorry."

"Yup, sure." I say sarcastically. He looks ashamed and I am glad. I leave him in his room while I consider a suitable punishment for him. Walking out, I see Nudge cradling Angel and Fang chilling in a chair near the couch.

"I need sleep." I rub my eyes.

"Dinner is done." Fang mumbles.

"Hmmph?" I hear Gasmen awaken.

"Dinner is ready," I repeat to him.

"YUM! Let's eat!" Gasman bounces up to the table; the girls follow. If he were just human I wouldn't allow him to eat because you aren't supposed to eat to when sick. Because he's a human avian hybrid (ninety-eight percent human, two percent avian) though, our health rejuvenates quickly, thus I knew he was well enough to eat. We dine on tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches without Iggy. Afterward I bring Iggy food to sit him down to talk.

"Hey," I hand him food.

"You know what you did, and for that you are condemned to wash dishes for the next week." I raise a finger, "plus do whatever Angel says." He gives me a sour look, sighs, and then smirks.

"That it?" He asks.

"Yes."

"Seems you've grown soft in your punishments." He speaks up.

"Don't push it, bub." I warn and walk out prepared to sentence him to more consequences if irritated more by him. Suddenly, I remember to turn back to Iggy.

"Your sentence starts now! Do dishes when you're done with dinner." I speak stoically. Finally, with nothing else at all, I climb into bed and fall fast asleep into dreams of soaring in the moonlight. My favorite.


	2. Chapter 2: Six Flags Fun

Chapter 2: Six Flags Fun

"Ugh," I lean on the couch arm rest. The living room is mess, so today I know is a day to tidy and clean, a time to put these children to work. I embark on making breakfast; no one is awake except me. Alone I listen to Enya to soothe my soul, and flip pancakes and fry bacon. To myself, I think, _Gosh it's nice not to have adults to boss you around like dictators._ You see, we live here alone, adult-free, just us (unless you think Fang or I are adequate adults, you're wrong). It all started when Jeb left us and I am glad. He told me I had to save the world, but I finally quit with his save-the-world-crap and I let the world save itself. Selfish I know, but humans don't really care anyway so why should I care? I am happy isolated with my family here. I hum along to the music and forget myself, and eventually come back to reality when I realize Gazzy is creeping up in attempt to frighten me. I turn; he giggles knowing he couldn't ever scare me, Maximum Ride.

"Up so early?" I acknowledge his presence.

"Early? It's nine thirty." He yawns.

"Oh," I look at clock on my i pod.

"Is your room clean?" I ask all motherly.

"Ah yes," Gazzy gulps.

"Hmmm." I walk down the hall to Gasman's room.

"I don't think so; clean your room" I glare at clothes everywhere, a bed unmade, and a dirty carpet.

"You're such a pathetic liar, don't do it." I decide not to punish precious Gazzy. Come on he's eight.

He sighs, and slams the door behind him.

"Everyone's doing it buddy." I whisper through the door; he is just in a pouting period that'd fade.

"What is it?" Angel comes out of her room with a grumpy expression.

"Just Gasman, he's in time out." I turn to hug her.

"What a grump Grinch he is." Angel embraces me with a hug and kiss.

"Want some pancakes Angel?"I guide her into the kitchen.

"Yeah!" She says happily with a grin.

I pick up a plate, put pancakes on it, and set it in the microwave to heat. Next I heat the syrup as well. Angel sits patiently anticipating pancakes; I know this is her favorite. As soon as it's ready I give her pancakes. I set out on heating some for myself as well. I join her after I heat my breakfast.

"How did you sleep? Any bad dreams?" I asked worried about yesterday when she had watched _Mama_.

"I had one bad dream. It was about an evil, scary man running after me." Angel shivers and takes a bite of her breakfast. I wish I could be there to save her even in her dreams, poor girl. Although, in the past Angel hasn't been a complete angel; she's manipulative with her mind-reading.

"I tried to stop my dream, but I couldn't. It was hard to wake up from it; I am still freaked out by the big scary man." Angel explains more in her simple vocabulary.

"What did the man look like?" I had to know. I hoped it wasn't Erasers or one of the school's experiments-gone-wrong haunting her dreams.

"Well," she mustered it from memory, "he was strong, looked like a wolf, and wore a white lab coat and carried a huge needle that they use to give you shots."

"Oh honey," I hug her.

"Just try and forget it all," I whisper in Angel's ear. She nods and then let's go of my hug to finish her pancakes.

"He's not real." I lie. In reality we all know such terrors exist at the school.

"Today, I need you and Nudge both to clean your room." I inform Angel who slouches and frowns.

"Iggy can help you and with everybody's help it will get done pretty fast; and after we might all go out for a treat." I encourage her. She smiles and runs to the sink with her half eaten pancake (Did she not like it?) and then down the hall to her room to begin on the day's duties. _What a good girl_, I think cleaning her dish and tidying the kitchen. Subsequently I dress, put up my hair, and began waking everyone to get the day really going. Nudge, Iggy, and Fang were all aroused, fed (again everyone nibbled at their pancakes), and directly assigned to clean their rooms. Later each of their rooms was inspected by me or Fang (I inspected Fang's room, it barely met my standards). Next Iggy was paired with the younger ones Gazzy and Angel, and I with Nudge and Fang to take on one half the house each. This included cleaning and organizing. At 1 PM we were done with almost no whiners and hissy fits.

"Whoo! Cleaning really exerts energy!" Nudge exclaims flopping on the sofa followed by Angel and Gazzy. Iggy and Fang simply sat down silently.

"Lunch anyone?" I saunter to the kitchen and put wares, leftovers, and juice boxes on the counter for my hungry flock.

"FOOD!" Gazzy is first to the counter to seize three juice boxes, a banana, a whole container of mac n' cheese, the other hamburger from yesterday, plus utensils. The rest came after him, hoarding large amounts of food too.

"Now we have an empty fridge and no leftovers." Fang stares at the remnants of the gobbled down food on the table.

"Guess that means grocery shopping," I glance in the fridge seeing Fang is right.

"Well, we have a clean house at least." I mutter glad of at that rarity.

"That means we have to go into Slagle today, and everyone is coming." I reason. Oh did I forget to tell you where we live? Sorry, we live in southeast Texas near Lake Sam Rayburn sheltered away in the nearby hills. Yes, somehow we got lucky and found a ditched summer home in somewhat decent condition and now reside here hoping the owner never returns. We have been here a year and have had no issues. I hear hoots and hoorays, the kids love going into town whenever we can.

"Get your wind-breakers and walkie-talkies," I remind everybody as they clamber to prepare and go. We carry walkie-talkies in case we get split up and wind-breakers to hide our massive wings so we look somewhat human when we go out in public.

"Fang, can you grab the ATM card?" I ask him in a hushed voice.

"Oh, yes," he runs to his room for his lock box to get the one thing that means provision and funds. I call it the ATM card of wonders; this is how we've been getting around since we first received it in New York City. It is linked to an account with unlimited funds and we don't know who makes deposits into the account, but every time we need money we use this card and it has always worked.

"Got it securely in my wallet," he shows me tucking it in his back pocket that zips.

"Great," everyone is out the door, up, and away. I lock the door and shove the keys in my buttoned-up back pocket. With walkies in tight grasps, we're off.

I beat my wings hard today, for the wind was against us. I see Angel and Gazzy struggle to catch up, and Nudge is off to her normal word blabber. I zone them out and turn my head to Fang, flying faithfully next to me.

"Beautiful today isn't it?" I admire the clouds, soaring through one often. He smiles a reply, no words. Promptly we arrive in Slagle and land in our customary meadow near the town, this is where we land and take off at.

"I'll go buy what we need. Take the kids to have fun." I say as we go in the store to get money buy food with at the ATM.

"Okay, that enough for groceries?" Fang inquires handing a big sum of money (it cost quite a bit to feed all of us). I nod.

"Guys_"

"And girls!" Nudge interrupts, I roll my eyes.

"Go with Fang. I will meet you in two to three hours after I go shopping." I wave goodbye and head to get groceries. They wave bye and leave with Fang.

"Yay! Time to myself alone in the store." I grab a cart and go, picking up cereal, eggs, several gallons of milk, apples, cuties, bread, turkey-ham, granola bars, Twinkies, Twix, Hawaiian rolls, packaged salad, dressings, ketchup, ground chicken, canned soup, and whatever else would last us through the week (hopefully no more than that it was a big haul). It all took half an hour plus the time to fly it all home (thank goodness for my super-human strength). I was made it back in time.

Breathing heavily, I landed in the far back forgotten parking lot of the market to meet the others.

"Hey Max over here!" Fang hollered coming towards me. Behind him, I see Angel in a frilly, fuchsia dress with a huge bow and Nudge in new designer clothes. Iggy is wearing a VANS tee and had sick new Vans sneakers on to match. Gosh, Fang must have really treated them at the mall; but hey they all deserved it.

"Do you like my new dress?" Angel twirls, her dress fanning out. How will she ever run for her life in that thing? Yes; sometimes we need to, but not so much lately.

"Yes it's cute." I compliment. Nudge swings her hips with attitude as she mimics a model flaunting her new designer skinny jeans, high tops, and blouse.

"Nice!" I say. These two have always had better sense of style than I ever did. Iggy walks over casually.

"Y'all should make an American Apparel ad!" I joke.

"Ya," Fang chuckles, "Does everyone wanna go to Six Flags, its holiday in the park tonight?" Fang pops out spontaneously.

"WHAT?!" I exclaim.

"Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington?" Iggy is in disbelief.

"It's three hundred miles away. I don't think so." I make up my mind in a snap.

"Why not?" Fang shrugs.

"MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAX !"Nudge sasses me.

"We can fly there in about two hours if we fly fast." Fang points out. I narrow my eyes.

"PLEASE!" Gazzy, Angel, Iggy, and Nudge all plead simultaneously. All make boo eyes, and beg.

"We don't even have to pay to get in; we can just literally fly inside." Fang reminds me.

"I don't like theme parks; like do you recall when we went to Disney World and all the lines and crowds we encountered? You hate crowds, remember?" I make excuses.

"Who cares we can just cut in line!" Angel says.

"We don't cut in a line! That's not polite." I reprimand Angel.  
"Oh you're such a dictator Max." Iggy complains.

"Do recall what I once said to you? That this ain't a democracy, it's a Maxocracy." I cross my arms as I remind Iggy who's in charge.

"Let these kids have fun, besides tomorrow is Thanksgiving and I've read on the internet that around the last days of the year is the best days to go because of smaller crowds." Fang says.

I sigh.

"What will we accomplish?"

"A fun experience!" Nudge blurts.

"God dang it Max, let's just go." I imagine Fang and I holding hands as we are about to descend a huge drop on a roller coaster romantically. Maybe it was good idea.

"Hmmm. Fine." I say giving it a chance. But if we run into anything we book it!

"We won't, chillax." Fang mutters.

"YAY!" Nudge jumps into the air extending her wings and flutters a few feet.

"Hey where's your windbreaker?" I ask trying to be a good guardian.

"In my backpack." Nudge points to it slumped on the grass.

"Alright." I give a fierce look, "first let's get home and get food for the flight there." I hear my stomach groan on cue.

"YAY!" comes from everyone as we line up to takeoff in formation, nothing said, just done (we all do it on occasion because it looks cool).

The flight home is a fun one. Everyone is in a jovial mood and makes jokes, laughter, and random dip dives as I say (these dives are spontaneous and trigger adrenaline highs).

"Ha, great one Gasman!" I compliment him on a fart I hear from seven yards away.

"That's a real stinker." Nudge giggles.

"Whoo! Yeah, Gazzy I can smell that from here that one was like a freakin' stink bomb." Iggy waves his hand in front of his nose jokingly. Gazzy giggles.

"Why thank you, that's my pride and joy in life!" He stops to reminisce in laughter, falls behind a couple beats then shoots right back.

"Home ahead!" Angel my little scout calls.

"DIVE!" I command, my flock follows loyally (I just love them). We stop flapping then land smoothly like pros it's habitual, instinctual. Fang unlocks the door, and everyone races to the kitchen to grab the goodies first.

"Everyone get their backpacks, it's gonna be a long way there at full speed. Make sure to eat plenty of carbs before we leave in twenty minutes so you don't poop out half way there!" I advise anybody who can hear over the busy bustle in the kitchen.

"I call dibs on Twix!" Iggy reaching in the cabinet. Gosh, I wonder how he gets around being as blind as he is. Clever and cunning guy he is, I smile at the fond thought of him.

"Max! That's not fair! Make him share." Gasman whines.

"Yeah!" Angel crosses her arms and her face conforms in her agreement with Gazzy with a pouty face.

"Iggy, sorry to burst your bubble, but those are for everyone." I give him an eye even though I know he can't see it.

"Divide it up equally that's all I got to say." I leave them to settle a small bicker, I don't EVER involve myself. I can't stand conflict or drama. Fang snatches the bag from Iggy and steals half of them.

"There, the rest are all yours." Fang smirks, I can't help but chuckle. He's such a good influence.

"Don't worry kids, there's Twinkies in there too." I inform them. At the mention of Twinkies all four (Iggy, Gazzy, Angel, and Nudge) ravage the pantry in search of the Twinkies. Gosh they are so funny. I momentarily leave the room to ready my bag with my i pod, walkie, my own secret stash of junk food kept in my closet (shhh don't tell), water, hand sanitizer, and lotion (yes Maximum Ride a complete tomboy carries a little lotion just to mask the stench of blood when I run into fights). The fights I speak of are fist fights with only our hands, fit stealth moves, and quick wit, and many other things is what it takes to defeat Erasers (awful, dreadful mutant wolf things who're basically were wolves) or any other revolting mutant-experiments the school can concoct to come after us. The "school" I mention is a vile, outlandish place out in Death Valley, isolated from civilization. This place is sadly where my flock and I all originate from, at least the super-human mutant part of us. Every one of us (except me) knows that we were sold to this repulsive place as an egg and don't really know our biological parents, I was donated by Jeb. Jeb is my dad and he let them experiment on me, his own daughter. That's what hurts me most personally and_ that_ is unforgivable in my eyes. Plus the torment of living in cages, being fed almost nothing, and the treatment of animals really got to all six of us. That led to us eventually breaking out. Ever since, we have all decided to never return, the only exception ever is if one of us is taken into captivity again by the school we will come to their rescue (that occurred once with Angel, but we all got her back).

"Let's head out!" I yell, glancing at my digital watch. Hoots, hollers, and mimicked bird cries are heard form in the hall. I join my rowdy flock as we lock up the house and soar to Six Flags.

"The breeze is pushing us along tonight, I can feel it." I tell Fang as I near him; the wind in my wake and feathers felt rejuvenating. The fly to the park was reduced to an hour and a half because of the breeze. I allowed one two minute break to chow down on Twinkies.

"We're here kids!" I announce to my euphoric flock.

"YES!" Gazzy cackles. Nudge stands in awe with Angel; I know how much those three LOVE theme parks and roller coasters. They're fearless of all the rides and got on any of them they pleased. Height wasn't even an issue since we are all genetically-altered to be taller and stronger than average human kids in our age groups.

"Can we all split up?" Iggy asks having a difficult time restraining himself from going.

"Yes, because you have your walkies," I grant permission.

"Let's go!" Angel and Nudge are already off.

"Hold up!" I shout.

"If anyone needs food find me or Fang and we'll hook you up."

I smile, "have a good time." Waving, I see them all scrabble of to get in lines all in pairs (Iggy and Gazzy, Nudge and Angel, and of course Fang and me).

"To Titan!" Gazzy directs Iggy who runs along with him.

Fang looks me over and hugs me, I squeeze back; tonight is our night. I needed this.

"Should we pick up funnel cakes and go on Oil Derrick? It's supposed to be a drop ride." Fang grins; he knew my favorite kind of rides.

"Sure," I kiss him and we hold hands and stroll there, together like we are meant to. I am no damsel, but I say he definitely knows the way to a girl's heart (junk food and charm).We board the ride, mouths full of funnel cake and hear familiar giggling behind us. I turn; in the car behind us sit Nudge and Angel. I sigh, and decide silent treatment was the best thing. I wasn't going to let their presence ruin a perfectly good night like this.

"Oh Max, hi." Nudge baits me, but I don't take it. Just as the staff come to check that we are strapped in tightly (liability I guessed) I requested if we could step off the ride. I was NOT going to ride with them. I needed a break. Fang and I both agreed to come back to Oil Derrick later and hoped the girls would get the clue not to follow us. The dude OKayed it so we got off and decided to go on Runaway Mountain, which we rode on nine times because of an adrenaline high and no lines. Our night proceeded with Fang making me laugh so much to the point of headaches which I ignored. It wasn't until we got to Texas Giant, five rides later (which included a couple delays because we stopped several times for turkey wings, soda, ice cream, and more water) when we all coincidentally encountered the six of us riding all in a row. This almost seemed impossible, but it happened.

"That ride reminds me of Colasses at Six Flags Magic Mountain," Iggy comments.

"Yeah, it starts you out with a wicked drop and VOOSH off you go!" Gazzy makes sound effects (he actually can mimic almost any sounds).

Nudge and Angel are shaking, I am too, but hey it's so worth it.

"HA HA HA!" I hear a repulsive, cheesy evil laugh from nearby.

"NO!" I whip around to stare my nemesis, the embodiment of all evil right in the eyes.

"Ari!" Angel snaps, fearless even though she knows he could clobber her.

"Angel!" He smirks back. But before he could inflict the first blow, Angel stepped right up to him and gave him a hard, audible **SLAP** to the face.

"Skedaddle!" I ordered to my flock. The younger ones followed orders; Nudge, Gazzy and Angel already spreading their wings to go. Iggy and Fang stayed for my back. Ari whistled and his band of brutes showed up to kick my bird butt. But you know I don't ever let that happen, I extend my wings with a **WHOOSH** and jump into a flying roundhouse kick to Ari's already red face. By this time a crowd has accumulated and is cheering for one of our defeats, so much for secrecy. It's not every day you see mutants street fighting. He's knocked to the ground by the force of my kick, and Fang knocks the air out of Ari with a swift kick to the jugular to only leave him gasping for air; applies pressure to the pressure points and he's down. All the while Iggy is so infuriated he's punching any Erasers he can repeatedly in the chest and head. Out of the park we fly, away from all the commotion and a night that was intended for fun. I sigh, not so much anymore. The way home is silent and the mood is heavy. I hate you Ari (more on that next chapter).


	3. Chapter 3: Flock Fights

Chapter 3: Flock Fights

Turning the shower facet to the warmest setting I step in. My chilled skin is for a second stunned by the sudden temperature increase, but then stimulated into relaxation. "Ooooh, what a load off," I mutter. I glance downward at the drain, all my stress plus all the perspiration of running around a theme park for several hours and a fight flowing in a mini whirlpool down it. Geese did this help one-hundred and ten percent. All the anger inside me is now gone. Everywhere there is steam which temporarily clouds my vision as I grab the moisturizing shampoo and massage it all throughout my hair. Proceeding that I clutch the soap and apply all around, "and you know the rest of the story" as coined by Paul Harvey.

Upon finishing, I gently turn the nozzle off, and bury my face in my clean towel that smells of Tide. I eventually work my towel through my wet hair and continue on in the process of drying myself. All snug in my towel I sit on the ledge of the bath tub and listen to the drip-drop from the showerhead.

"Max, come on I want to shower next! Hurry up!" Nudge whines.

"Yeah, me too! I wanna go after Nudge." Angel's tiny voice is muffled through the door.

"Alright," I chuckle with a refreshed state of mind. Now I could actually think. In a rush, I dress to let the others in to shower.

"Yay!" Nudge budges through the door as I barely make my way out the doorway.

"Sheesh Nudge, can you wait two seconds?" I ask. **WOOSH! SLAM!** Nudge is already inside.

"No, I smell sweaty and icky," Nudge replies with slight sass from inside the bathroom, I giggle_. She's just so cute,_ I think. Angel rolls her eyes.

_Not if you share a room with her, _Angel responds using her telepathy. I ignore her snide thought and kiss her atop her head and urge her to get right to bed after her shower. I step slowly down the hall, and poke my head in the living room to see Fang, Iggy, and Gazzy pooped out on the couch or on the ground. Iggy sleeps face down on the floor as if passed out. Poor guy! I wish he wasn't blind so he could see where he ended up. Gazzy wrapped in a fetal position taking up only one couch cushion, and silently sleeping beside him was Fang sitting down but with his arms crossed arms and head on the armrest. Wow, Fang can even be stoic looking while asleep. I quickly took a picture of the whole scene, it is a rarity ever to catch people in such a comical position while sleeping, especially Iggy.

I quietly laughed; this was definitely a Kodak moment. I went back to my room leaving everything as is until daybreak, for now bed was beckoning.

Glare shines right into my eyes, I wake disturbed by the sunshine coming through my window. I immediately climb out of bed onto the floor, I land sprawled out. I sit up with my back straight and begin to reach for my toes and stretch out my legs and back; of course I am careful not to hurt my wings. I loosen up my tense shoulders with shoulder rolls, and partially extend my wings to stretch them out. Feeling ten times better, I arise smiling prepared mentally for the day just ahead. Tiptoeing to the kitchen, I grab the skillet and start to crack eggs to cook. Someone smacks my hand away. Iggy stands behind smirking and snatches the eggs from me and takes over. I gave him a nasty glare topped off with an angled frown.

"The pancakes we ate yesterday were undercooked and doughy, let me cook for everyone like I used too." Iggy insults me. I puff up my chest and hold in all the obscenities I want to scream at him.

"How come none of you just politely say so?" I snarl.

"We were being nice," Iggy remarks flipping an egg.

"You can't heat up popcorn in the microwave without it burning." Fang trudges into the kitchen, already a foot behind me (I have no clue how he does it, seems as if he appears out of nowhere). I stand gawking at Fang. How could my boyfriend agree with such a mean comment?

"Don't go off on him because your cooking is crap. Everybody already knows it," Forthright Fang predicts my next move and yawns as he opens the fridge searching for a Monster (an energy drink).

"You should have 'crappy cook' written on your forehead." Iggy says sarcastically. I silently curse under my breath.

"Max, remember I can hear you." Iggy now fries bacon placing them on a plate when cooked; I hated his keen senses (as you know if one sense goes out, all others become sharper). I walk out of the room sheepish and agitated turning red all over. I sit softly on the sofa forgetting that Gazzy was still sleeping.

"Max?" He awakens.

"Morning," I grumble.

"Oh," Gazzy senses my mood.

"Sorry," I turn even redder, "I am coming off too strong this morning." We're silent a moment.

"Gasman, do you recall those times I taught you to tell the truth?" I started.

"Well now is the time for your honesty. Is my cooking terrible?" I inquired hoping for a positive answer.

Gazzy trembles and gulps (Was he really that afraid of me?).

"Ah, yes."

I look down at my lap, now I knew it was set in stone. The inevitable truth was all too true.

"Thank you." I pat him on the head and walk to the kitchen.

"Gazzy even agrees too, huh?" Fang grins. I nod still angered. Fang laughs boisterously and wakes both the girls who come into the kitchen wondering what woke them. Fang entertains the two girls with the story of how I tried to cook as they sit on barstools O. on chocolate milk. I sulked on the sofa_. Ugh how dare he,_ I think.

"Oh Max, you take it too personally." Nudge sees me sitting unhappily.

"Time to eat!" Iggy hollers as we sit down to scrambled eggs with a side of bacon, and toasted bagels.

"I hate you all." I force myself to the table.

"No you don't. You just hate us when you're not right." Iggy mutters matter-of-factly.

"I can hear that!" I revile back.

"Well, I wanted you to know it is okay to be wrong Max." Iggy replies.

"YES!" Everyone yells in unison. I glare even more offended.

"I see hints of the old, bossy, butt-hurt Max coming back," Nudge speaks in my direction.

"She's right. Don't be controlling Maximum." Fang coincides, he said it with my full name too! That must be serious. Realizing my wrong, I correct myself and apologize.

"Alright, sorry guys I will be less bossy. I am being unreasonable." I pause.

"Then again you all are too." I look up making eye contact with everyone gathered at the table. I hear "What?" and "How?"

"You're all rude." I taste a bite of Iggy's cheesy, fluffy eggs.

'We're just having fun with you." Fang grins again.

"I don't like this 'fun.' "

"Of course because you've always been anti-fun." Nudge counterattacks with attitude.

"Stop! I am tired of sitting here taking insults!" I shout.

"You're taking them as insults we didn't mean them to be insults" Fang replies keeping his cool. I pause to let it penetrate and sink in.

"Talk about thin skinned," Iggy pushes me more. Having enough of him I walk over and thump him hard on his head and leave the room. I leave to my room to be alone. I believe that some of my anger is still remaining from last night and that is why I am so peeved. I hear a **KNOCK KNOCK **at my bedroom door. I know that it is Fang he comes in without permission. All I do is stare at him with a look that says, "Why?"

"Maximum, I am sorry." There came the cliché line, but by the tone of his apology there was actually some remorse.

"Why?" came the question. I made it come out as hard and as cold as I could.

"Stop, breath." He strokes my hair.

"Really, you're too offended over remarks that are meant to be good natured jokes." Fang sighs.

I sit silent; all I wanted right now from Fang was for him to do the talking.

"Let's make amends," he hugs meand I reject it.

"You know your condescending sarcasm never helps situations like this." I speak my mind.

"Well," Fang stops.

"Well work on it." I get up, run to the window and thrash it open to fly away.

"Max!" He calls after me; again all too predictable. I ignore him and soar to the closest wood to sit in a tree to contemplate things. I pull out my i pod and text him via the texting app.

**xXMaxXx: Be back in a while, I am ok.**

**Fang 3: K, baby. Love you.**

**xXMaxXx: I know. *rolls eyes***

**Fang 3: Max, I really love you. We've been together since the start; let's not end this now.**

**xXMaxXx: Your forgetting the 'with minor exceptions' part.**

**Fang 3: Let's put that in the past where it belongs.**

**xXMaxXx: Fine. I am sorry and I need you to tell me the same.**

**Fang 3: Babe, you know I am. Sorry, I won't be sarcastic when we have disagreements. :)**

**xXMaxXx: Sorry, and I won't be the way I was. You already know.**

**Fang 3: Heck yeah, I know. Now come on home so we can finish breakfast.**

With that I gladly got off my i pod and flew home fast. Fang stood on the lawn waiting and he hugged me.

We all finished and cleaned up from breakfast with smiles instead of sorrows.

Before anyone could go on to do their thing I called for a flock meeting.

I took charge of the talking as usual and Fang sat by me.

"I needn't repeat what went down last night," I began.

"We all know Ari is back at us for the bajillionth time and who know what it's about this time."

Everyone slumped, clearly not perking up on a topic like this.

"God, that fool never dies no matter how many times we try to kill him," Iggy shakes his head.

"How did he find us if you had the tracker inside your arm removed by Dr. Martinez, your Mom like two years ago?" Gazzy asked what everyone was thinking.

"I remember that," Fang laughed, "you were so loopy."

"Let's not discuss that." I give Fang a stern look.

"We are all wondering the same thing Gasman," I answer puzzled as everyone else.

"The ring of discussion is open for speculation and theories." I announce.

"Possibly there is a tracker in one of us besides you Max." Iggy posed.

"Hmm, yes, but I recall that I was the only one who had one implanted in me in the first place because they wanted me to save the world and all. I guess maybe in their eyes y'all weren't as important enough as me to have a trackers implanted or something." I said.

"I know that, but I don't think the rest of us were x-rayed for trackers." Iggy reminded me, looking to the others.

"Right, none of you were." I affirmed.

"Can we get x-rayed for it? It wouldn't hurt; we could all get ours removed and potentially terminate the risk of Ari hunting us down altogether." Fang suggested.

"Returning to Arizona to my Mom and Ella would be unwise. It could hurt them if Ari discovers we're all there." I defended my biological family.

"Max, you're forgetting our flock motto. Flock before family, remember?" Angel coined in.

"Is it them or us?" Gazzy gave me those cute, determined eight-year-old-eyes.

I sigh, "Ok, we're going to Arizona!" I declare.

"To the land of cacti!" Gazzy pipes up.  
"When do we depart?" Fang asks.

"Tonight, twelve midnight. I'll get in contact with my Mom discreetly and let her know of our arrival." I notify everyone.

"Why 12 AM?" Nudge asks with attitude.

"If we fly at night it is less probable they'll be able to track us. Plus there is a strong breeze tonight that will carry us. I checked the weather report." I stated.

"Fine," Nudge crossed her arms and headed to her room; boy did I need to teach her not to sass me.

"Nudge, one more thing. Be polite please." I smile knowing that was never gonna happen. We are a band of unruly, disobedient kids; we give allegiance to no one except ourselves.

"Ok Max, thank you for letting us go to Arizona." Nudge bats her eyes and smiles sarcastically.

"These kids," I mumble once Fang and I are alone in the room.

"Yeah, I know. They'll learn someday. Maybe." Fang kisses me on the head.

"Wake me at 11:30 PM if I don't wake up before then." I request.

Fang gives me thumbs up as he gets out his i pod to listen to music. I marched myself off to bed. The remainder of twelve hours I slept to have maximum (ha, my name) energy to fly.


	4. Chapter 4: An Adventure to Arizona

Chapter 4: An Adventure to Arizona

I awaken to screams.

"Wake up Max!"

"Max! It's almost time to go!"

The children break into my room half an hour before my alarm. Arg.

"Thirty more minutes!" I groan and grumble.

"Max! Come on we have food for you from Macaroni Grill!" Gazzy bribed me.

My eyes were wide open now.

"Give me!" I shouted. I was out of bed in a bustle.

"It's warmed up on the table," Nudge says leading me to the dining room. I run to it and sit down in a flash. I start eating ravenously like a lion tearing ligaments of its prey. The flock picked me up some tortellini (my favorite, Fang probably picked it out).

"Y'all went to Macaroni Grill without me?" I glance over at Fang my right wing man with a questioning expression between bites.

"They were hungry! Really hungry!" He put up his hands in defense.

"We ate like everything on the menu!" Iggy commented.

"It was so goooood." Angel said with satisfaction rubbing her tummy and running off.

"Just wake me if you're gonna go there next time. I wanted to come! Their cheesecake is to die for." I let the fact that they went to my favorite restaurant ever without me slide.

"Everyone is fed, showered, and backpacks are loaded. And everyone is wearing clean underwear." Fang lets me know.

"Ooh bonus!" I chuckle and continue wolfing down all my food.

"Hurry Max! I can't wait to get to Arizona!" Angel enters the room probably just from the bathroom because she smelled of one of Nudge's perfumes.

"Are you wearing my Pink Friday perfume by Nicki Minaj?" Nudge glares at Angel with fists clenched and nostrils flared.

"It smells SOOOOOO good," Angel makes dreamy eyes.

"You're too young to wear that stuff," I wrinkle my nose (personally I hated half of Nudges strong, rather sensual scents).

"Why?" Angel looked at me innocently.

"It's for older girls, honey." I tell her.

"Even Nudge is almost too young to wear them." I look over at Nudge, her eyes narrowed and I could tell she was about to go off like an alarm.

"MAX_" Nudge's anger spilled over, but I stop her before the worse can happen.

"If you are gonna be a back-talking sass go do it elsewhere." I point to her room. Storming off, she turns back to look at my face. I remain strictly stoic; she gives me a profane sign with her finger that is followed promptly by **SLAM** (her door).

"Nice, right in front of the kids." I sit down to finish my food. I look at Angel.

"Don't think you're going to get out with no consequences." I furrow my eyebrows (or at least try, I can't do it like Fang).

"We've been through not using others people's stuff without permission." I go on.

"Sit in the corner." I appoint her punishment. Angel slouches and sits on the stool in the kitchen corner with piece of paper taped over it with the words 'timeout corner of compunction' written on it.

"Gosh Deputy Max, you really know how to enforce the law in these parts." Iggy jokes.

"Gettin' better at it every day," I reply quietly.

"Fang, can you talk to Nudge after she's ready." I chill on the couch for a minute then get up to go prep my bag for the flight to Arizona for the next twenty minutes. I put one change of clothes (excluding jeans because those are space-suckers), toiletries, my ipod (loaded with hours of rock and trance music) and its charger, my laptop, and my open, unfinished bag of stale Cheetos, and of course my walkie talkie.

"Time for departure!" I call all across the house; Fang locks the door behind all of us. The flock assembles and stands at my command.

"Nudge, Angel you've learned your lesson. I don't have time or the patience to think of further consequences for you two. Just be good."

"Let's fly!" I run ahead of my flock and we ascend in formation from the nearby field next to our house. The first hour of flight is silent with ear buds in our ears. As tension eased and friction reduced to nothing between us we started to joke and frolic around. By the time dawn was upon us, we could see the nonstop rolling hills and shrubbery of Midwest Texas. Sheesh Texas took a long time to cross. 200 to 275 MPH (varying due to updrafts of wind to help us cruise along) just didn't seem fast enough.

"Guys, Texas is a huge state so it's gonna be awhile." Fang speaks up.

"I was just about to ask if we were there yet." Nudge glanced at her i pod clock.

"Glad you spoke up Fang to stop those whiners." I thank Fang. Nudge squints at me suspicious., "Does that imply something?"

"Mmm. Not really, all I mean is that I am glad you guys aren't complaining."

"Yeah," Fang agrees.

"If you guys wanna get there faster then speed up." Iggy tells them; flying along on my left he looks over at me. I smile.

"Let's!" I accelerate setting the speed to 315 MPH.

_Max, don't over pace us,_ Angel intrudes into my head.

_Is this too fast?_ I ask.

_Yes, it's hard to keep up. _Angel voices her mind into mine.

"Gazzy, Angel get behind Fang." I order.

"Why?" Gazzy asked.

"It's a technique used in cycling, Fang will reduce wind resistance against you that way you exert yourself less and can keep up better." I explain.

"Now we'll fly a lot faster." I smile. The remaining hours flew by (so punny) with Fang, Iggy, and I all switching off occasionally. Within three or so granola bar breaks and one stop for a meal at a fast food joint we were there. We were all about ready to drop out of the sky when we reached our destination. In fact we almost did plummet to the ground, but our bird kid instincts made us catch ourselves before we smashed against the ground.

I landed feet first trembling. Gazzy, Angel, Iggy, and Nudge landed sort of sprawled out and unable to move. Fang landed perfectly (as always) with minimal shaking.

"You have the soaring stamina of a cross country runner." I compliment Fang.

"Thanks." Fang grins waiting for all of us to get balanced.

"Do I have to carry you guys to the house?" Fang inquired.

"No, I'll get up myself," I said to seem independent (I am Maximum Ride; I don't take help from anyone).

"That'd look weird if you were to carry me in the house." Iggy laughed.

"UGH! NO!" I protested finally gaining strength to stand up.

"Max?!" I heard a happy voice.

"ELLA!" I ran into her hug then collapsed in the arms of my biological sister.

"Whoa? Are you alright?" She fussed over me.

"Pssh yeah. I am completely okay," I tried getting up but failed.

"She pushed us all too hard." Iggy finally stood up walking over slightly shaking.

"You guys flew all the way from East Texas?" Ella's voice sounded astonished.

"Yeah, it was no biggie." I smiled.

"Sure, it's no biggie if we flew so hard we don't even have enough strength to even get up." Nudge commented sarcastically. Gazzy and Angel giggled.

"What did I say about whining?" I replied. Fang rolled his eyes smiling.

"Let me get my Mom! We'll whip up some fajitas real quick for you guys. Y'all must be beyond starving." Ella scurried off to help our mom prepare food (I can't believe someone can enjoy cooking, maybe it just wasn't my thing).

"YEEEAH! Fajitas!" Gazzy cheered.

"OOH, with some refried beans on the !" Nudge exclaimed.

"And rice!" Angel added throwing up her hands as if she was victorious.

Fang put his arm around me, and the pair of us walked slowly inside together. The others eventually got up to join us inside the warm, personable atmosphere.

"I apologize I pushed y'all so hard today." I said to everyone.

"It's cool; we'll eventually work up to that stamina." Iggy nodded.

"Yes, please do," Fang chuckled, "you are all so slow."  
"Time to eat!" Ella rang a metal triangle.

"YAY!" Gazzy literally swooped to the table.

"No flying in the house!" My mom shouted her hands over her face as if afraid she would be hit.

"Sorry!" Gazzy shrank back in shame. Mrs. Martinez urged us to begin, but Iggy was already half way done as she finished her sentence.

"Why the sudden arrival?" Ella just seemed dying to ask.

"What? Didn't you know we were coming?" Angel asked.

"No." Mrs. Martinez took a bite of her rice.

"Oh. Sorry. I forgot to email you and say so." I slouched feeling guilty for just showing up with six starving mutant bird kids who will eat everything in your cabinet and still be hungry.

"Well mainly we're here to have any potential trackers inside any of us surgically removed by you like I did two years ago." I clarified.

"Why?" My mom looked over at me confused.

"Ugh, well, Ari kinda tracked us down at Six Flags Over Texas and attacked us." I respond trying to remain mellow as if someone trying to kill us was our norm. Mrs. Martinez dropped her fork.

"Max. Why would you go there?" She sighed.

"It's really fun!" Gazzy beamed; he was so cute but now wasn't the time. Ella chuckled.

"It was holiday in the park! We just couldn't turn it down." I made an excuse.

"Nice to know you're making smart decisions, Max." Mom shook her head in disapproval.

"Well we didn't know. Plus it's been a year since our last surprise attack from Ari so we assumed it'd be safe. Somehow though he was able to find us and our theory is one or more of us have trackers inside our bodies so he could see our every location."

"All of us crucially need to have ourselves x-rayed for microchip trackers, except Max." Fang backed me.

"Fine, fair enough," Mrs. Martinez nodded.

"In trade I'll do the dishes," Iggy volunteered to lessen the friction (that's my Iggy).

"And I'll bake you cookies," Dr. Martinez smiled finishing her fajita and clearing her spot on the table.

"Now Iggy, I have been dying to know! How old are you?" Ella bit her lip.

"Twenty-two." He lied, he's actually only fifteen.

"Oh," she was let down, I could tell.

"Why do you wanna know?" I posed.

"Just trying to get to know everyone better." She blushed; she definitely liked Iggy.

"Go on; tell me about yourself Iggy and everyone likewise! But Iggy first." Ella requested.

"Well, I can make a mean chili soup," he paused, "and I am blind." Iggy's features saddened.

"How did that_" Ella stopped.

"Uh, I was messing with shake weights." Iggy lied grinning. He really lost them in an experimental surgery for super raptor vision at the school. But, we really don't discuss things like that, ever.

"Oh, ouch!" Ella had a concerned expression.

"Yup," Iggy glanced down.

"My turn!" Nudge stole the spotlight; it was probably good though because Iggy tends to be timid with people he doesn't know well.

"Well, uh, you've met me, uh I mean us before. I can say it's been awhile. To re-introduce myself, I am Nudge. I am twelve, I love fashion, hot boys with big six packs and biceps, and I sing better than Adele!" Nudge smiled with all her pearly whites.

"Oooh! My turn!" Angel spoke up.

"I'm six years old and I love animals and coloring books!" Angel smiled contented.

"Gazzy, your go" I lead the conversation.

"I am age seven and a half and I am a bomb extraordinaire."

Fang cleared his throat, "Fang is my name. I love the color black and I'm sixteen."

"Are you emo?" Ella asked.

He sighed, "No."

I giggled; he hated being called emo which he was constantly stereotyped as.

"Nice to meet you all! I am Ella and I am thirteen."

"You already know me." I shrugged.

"Well yeah, sis." She smiled.

"Time to wash dishes," she scooted back and started to pick up plates.

"Iggy, you said you'd help me right?" She grinned. Iggy nodded, gulping trying to pretend that she wasn't acting awkward. But she was.

"Just go with it, you don't have to like her back." I whispered. He followed Ella sighing.

"Iggy thinks that this is going to be a long, awkward, and complicated visit." Angel said closing her eyes and pressing her temples.

"Tell him to man up," I say. Iggy honestly needed to learn how to deal with girls. Tonight was a perfect opportunity so I kicked back for the show.


	5. Chapter 5: A Pleasant Surprise

Chapter 5: A Pleasant Surprise

"Ah ha ha" booming laughter arose from the kitchen. Ella sure was enjoying Iggy's company, but more than that I smelled the aroma of baking cookies from the oven. Oh I could hardly contain my munchies!

"Max! The cookies are done!" Mrs. Martinez announced from the kitchen, I burst through the door before she finished her sentence. This batch was mine, all mine.

"Max! Save some for us!" I heard Nudge call as she got up to claim her cookies, but being the selfish person I am I licked all of them right in front of her eyes just to mark my territory. She'd never think of touching them now.

"That's not fair!" Nudge crossed her arms. It was too fair; my mom said she'd "make me cookies." Not "I'll make everyone cookies."

"Max." Dr. Martinez sighs.

"I'll make another three batches of chocolate chip cookies just for everyone else, but Max won't get any."

Nudge smirked her little sassy smirk. I could deal with getting one batch all to myself. I liked that.

Fang drifted over to my side, he chuckled and rolled his eyes, "so typical of you."

I stared into his eyes stuffing a cookie into my mouth.

"Gotta get those chocolate chip cookies!" I exclaimed. I look over to Iggy, he was standing next to Ella drying dishes with a kitchen towel. He grinned as Ella told him more about herself.

Those two probably like one another but just wouldn't say it. Overlooking everything, I saw all was well in the kitchen. Nudge, Gazzy, and Angel assisted my mom in cookie-baking. Everyone was contented; nothing in this moment now, could awry. Only until we're pleasantly greeted with a BANG, BOOM, and CRASH of Erasers were streaming in through all the windows and doors surrounding us. UGH! NOW?!

"HA HA! Gotcha now Max! There's no escape!" Ari swung in one a zip line like some cool spy you'd see in those action flicks.

"Nice dramatic entrance!" I clapped. Ari's face contorted into an angry look, he hated my sarcasm.

"Now what do you want this time?" I smiled to vex him. Before he could make any other move, Fang was already on it.

"Just die already!" Fang jumped on Ari with a knife he pulled from the knife block. Ari thrashed, but boy did Fang have a hold of him. He was quite the assassin. The others and I were already taking on all the other Erasers with not a single problem. I was just anticipating for Jeb to make his appearance as usual and go on about his bull crap that I was supposed to save the world. There he came, storming in with his flowing lab coat on to add a dramatic edge.

"Hi Jeb," I waved.

"You're usually not all that happy to see me." He crossed his arms.

"I am not at all. I hate you." I was blunt.

"What are you here for today?" I demanded.

"A chat over a cup of tea and crumpets?" I looked at him.

"Or too drag me and my flock back to the school to experiment on us and eventually dissect us all?" I grinned.

"Max," he shook his head, "you already know."

"Yea, I do. And as always, no." I said and turned clutching three cookies to gobble up.

"Look, all of your other replacements or clones you've made of me like Maya are all failures. So give up and go home. The simple message is that I hate you and never want to see or Ari AGAIN!" I snapped. Ari tapped out, Fang released his grip of death and got off him. Ari hobbled up.

"Max, are you saying I am a failure?" Ari asked.

"Yup," I nodded, "but it's not your fault the school turned you into a menacing monster." I glared at Jeb.

"Now, what I wanna know is how you found us at Six Flags and now here." I commanded.

"One of you has another tracker," Ari confessed.

"Nice to know, thanks." I told Ari who got a look of "Why'd you say that, nincompoop?" from Jeb.

Ari's face contorted into rage, "I am done with your condescending looks." Ari's teeth were clenched.

"Ugh! Well you shouldn't have said anything you dingbat!"

"Now it's not important, and really all of it never was. It was only ever an endless chase to catch Max." Ari spat my name. Whose side was he on?

"Our hunt for Max could've all ended today if you'd have complied like you should have!" Jeb roared, his posture straightened to tower of Ari.

"Sorry I was never good enough. Jeb." Ari shook his head, "you can find a new son to experiment on and chase other mutants."

Jeb guffawed, "You can't renounce your biological relation with me."

"But he can ditch you." I spoke up, "just like I did to you." I spat the last words.

"Not anymore," Jeb snapped his fingers; flyboys flew in at his demand. Thirty-six of them to be exact; I counted.

"NO!" I hollered, we were as good as done. Several flyboys piled on Fang, my babies Angel and Gazzy were picked up like dogs and examined and stuffed inside kennels. The miseries and memories of my early childhood were resurrected. I was bound, defenseless, powerless, hopeless. Iggy was the only one who stood strong struggling against the flyboys (robotic Erasers complete with wings). But because of his blindness, he didn't notice the blow that ended his chances. The fly boy restraining Iggy kneed him at the base of his skull knocking him unconscious to the ground. A flyboy drug Iggy into a cage.

"Now try and leave us Max." Jeb's mouth was straight line, placid.

"WE WILL! EVERY LAST ONE OF US!" Tears came; they weren't tears of despair, but of rage. Jeb crouched down to my level and stared for a moment.

"KIDS DON'T BELONG IN CAGES!" I remembered what I told another mutant girl I met in New York City in an institute.

"Load them up and let's head out." Jeb directed standing up.

"Jeb, you can't just break in my house and_" Mrs. Martinez tried to protest.

"These experiments are property of ter Bocht and his associates."

"We are simply reclaiming what is ours." Jeb said smugly and stepped onto a chopper with flyboys behind him. We were in a separate chopper guarded by other Flyboys and Erasers. Ari commander of them all, stood with them. He stood silently, nothing needing to be said. We all knew where we were headed.


	6. Chapter 6: Ari, the Greatest Hero

Chapter 6: Ari, the Greatest Hero

_Max? Max where are you?_ Angel communicated to me. I heard her role around inside her kennel.

_I am across from your cage, _I thought. She'd be able to pick up my thought through her mind reading.

_Angel, I am so sorry I couldn't pull us out of this mess. _I was calm and not crying now; but by no means was I cheery.

_Maximum, you're not to blame. It wasn't you or us, it was them. _Angel was on her stomach with her head on her arms, I could see the gleam of tears from her eyes.

_Yes, that's right. _I held on to her words.

_Ask the others if they are hurt,_ I thought of Fang, Iggy, Nudge, and Gasman. I waited a few moments for them to respond to Angel; we don't all have telepathy or mind reading so communication isn't as speedy.

_Everyone is alright, just bruises and a little blood,_ Angel reported back to me.

_Comprendo, tell everyone I am planning a break out of this death trap, _I informed Angel who promptly informed everyone. I examined our surroundings; there were five Flyboys and three Erasers including Ari.

_Max, I know what you're thinking; _Ari's low telepathic voice barged into my mind.

_Mind reading? You have it too!? _I think, panicked and surprised. There went all chances of escape.

_Yeah, Dad gifted me with it too, _Ari bragged.

_Is that what you wanted for Christmas? _I retorted with a simper.

_NO! Jeb was just preparing me for a situation like this, _Ari corrected me.

_Oh, so you could prevent us from conniving a jailbreak? _My eyes narrowed into a glare.

_Originally yes,_ Ari did a double take, _but today is different._

_Ha, yeah. It's different today? How? It's always been the same, old save-the-world-B.S. Isn't that why you kidnapped us AGAIN? To try to coax me into something other people destined me for? No thanks._

_Max, no, it's not what you're expecting._ Ari Shut up.

_Not what I'm expecting? _I sneered concealing my confusion. Ari didn't answer. I sat there frustrated, desiring an answer.

_Max, earlier I picked up on Ari's thoughts of helping us escape._ Angel informed me after a moment.

_Predictable, and that's an explanation as to why he resisted Jeb back there._ I thought.

_Do you know that Ari has mind reading too?_ I inquired.

_Yeah, I heard him talk to you through thoughts._ Angel nodded.

_Well Ari, give us the signal when you're ready._ The helicopter hummed on and we waited for Ari. We waited for any order or move he'd make. I don't know how much time ticked on. I curled up in my cage for a cat nap. Ari would awaken me hopefully.

_MAX! _ I felt the chopper toss about.

_What? _I stretched as best as I could.

_I am going to switch and emergency lever that automatically unlatches your cages and then crash the helicopter. As it plummets to the earth you all need to spread your wings and fly out before impact on the ground below. I have disabled all the flyboys so you should be safe to flee._

_WHAT?! WHY SO RECKLESS?_ My alarms were all blinking red.

_AND WHAT ABOUT YOURSELF?_ I couldn't believe that I cared.

_I am a failure, you even told me so._ Ari's telepathic voice grew stiff and monotone.

_I didn't mean what I said._ Silence; utter, tense silence.

_I love you Max. You're the best big sister I've ever had, but…_ Ari stopped.

_But save yourself! You can run with us!_ I exclaimed.

_Max you know I can't; I am better dead. Permanently. My body will be irreparable after this wreck._ His telepathic voice weakened thinking of what he was going to do

_Ari, you may have been sinister all these years but your life is still worth living._ I encouraged Ari.

_I am in so much pain though, I even begged dad to euthanize me._ Ari's voice staggered.

_A seven-year-old shouldn't be wishing suicide upon himself._ I said.

_Max, you don't comprehend my pain, do you? _Ari asked.

_I don't, but I refuse to let you die because of pain someone else brought on you. Dr. Martinez could fix you up and__ Ari interrupted me.

_No that's wishful thinking; I am ashamed it can't be reality._ Ari shook his head; I stared at him from the pilot's seat. He was the one piloting the helicopter.

_Now's not the time, we need to get you all out of here safely._ Ari straightened up in his seat and aimed the helicopter downward. The other Erasers were caught off guard and tried to yank the steering controls from Ari. But the chopper was already thrown off balance; Ari slammed the lever that unlatched our cages.

_I love you too Ari, this wasn't your fault._

"NOW FLOCK!" We were flung out of our kennels by the force of the fall and we instinctively threw open our wings. The helicopter was falling, but we were flying. Ari engaged the button to release the doors so we could go. We soared out into open sky, the helicopter falling as we flew above it. We were staring downward as we flew in a line. In order it was me Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Angel and Gazzy. I saw Angel on the end wave goodbye. The sight of her waving sent me down towards the helicopter, I whizzed after it. I was fully fledged after it; I wouldn't let Ari explode with the other Erasers. He was worth saving. My wings stoking hard and right leg bent up in front of the left gave me the appearance of superman trying to save the day. I was only meters from the chopper when I felt a Fang's strong grip around my torso.

"Max, no!"

"LET GO! I HAVE TO SAVE ARI!" I fought against his arm, but he just put both arms around me to hold me back. I felt like a two-year-old throwing a tantrum, thrashing and struggling about.

"Max, it's useless!" Iggy was behind us.

"No! It's not! If we rush we can still save his body before it burns completely!" I managed to use both arms to thrust Fang off of me and shoot towards the already grounded chopper. Now the whole flock was after me, and I don't think I could shake six mutant bird kids off me. I landed briskly, and stood before the chopper in flames. It was truly a sight that was forever carved into my memory, I wouldn't forget a sight so disquieting, so disturbing. I ran at the wreck tears already dousing my face and bloodstained shirt.

"Ari!" I called over the crackling, cackling flames. I ran to the front seeing only ash and embers burning on the breeze. I neared even more; Ari's body wasn't even visible. Fang and Iggy swooped in above me and both clutched me by my shoulders and then my arms, and I was levitated upward.

"Drop me! NOW! Put me down!" I hastily scissor kicked both of them as I bawled.

"MAX! IT'S ABOUT TO BLOW! WE CAN'T LEAVE YOU HERE!" Gasman shouted only few feet above.

"UGH!" I yanked my arms out of their grasp and flew away from the fire, far from the flock and chaos. I caught a breeze and let it carry me like leaves in the wind until I spotted a lone willow below me overlooking a small creek. I stopped there and sat for a long time. Hands and head in my lap, I sobbed, screamed, cursed, and eventually slept.

"What in heaven's name is wrong, child?" I awakened to an audible voice. It was tender and sympathetic, I glanced up. There stood an African-American woman; she stepped closer with a hanky. Yes, a **hanky** and handed it to me.

"Child, oh you're a mess!" She shook her head. I staggered up and accepted the hanky wiping all the perspiration and tears away.

"C'mon, let's get you some tri-tip hot of the Grill!" I let her guide me to a table. She brushed back my hair behind my ears and sat me down at a picnic table. She offered me a blanket and I accepted it because the temperature was dropping to the night cools.

"Jimmy boy! Fetch us some tri-tip, chips, potato salad, and some cold pop please!" She asked a man of about eighteen, he nodded and begun on his task.

"Now girl, where are your parents?" She inquired.

"My mom's in Arizona." I fingered the hanky now soaked with moisture.

"Honey, we are in Arizona!" She chuckled.

"Where exactly?" I asked patiently.

"Burro Creek Campgrounds off of Highway 93." Her voice softened.

_Maximum, where are you?_ I picked up Angel.

"Angel," I muttered.

_Burro Creek Campground off of Highway 93! _I told her my location.

_Ok, we're coming now,_ she thought to me.

"Angel?" The women said.

"She's my, uh, little sister. You'll meet them soon, they're coming for me." I yawned.

"With your mom?" She was puzzled.

"No, with my other uh, siblings." I explained. She cocked her head in suspicion.

"You're lying, I can tell." She smiled slightly.

"No, not really. When I say they are my siblings I mean adoptively, sorta. It's not official, but we all just adopted each other." I grinned.

"A mixed family," she smiled warmly, "I like it."

"It will make more sense when they arrive." I said.

"I believe you." She said nodding.

"Now I'm Khinara, and you are?" She introduced herself.

"Maximum, just call me Max." I scratched my head innocently.

"Max? Huh, unique. What's the significance of your name?" She admired my name.

"I named myself. It's because well I'm not" I paused, how did I put this?

"Human," I put it. Gosh! You don't go around telling strangers you're a mutant-freak. I wanted to kick myself.

"You look human to me," she crossed her arms with a smirk.

"MAX!" Nudge flitted above me and landed casually.

"Whoa, what on God's Green Earth! Ya'll have wings!" Khinara put her hand over her chest.

"Max, who is this?" Nudge folded her wings abruptly surprised.

"Khinara, she is helping me." I said.

"Oh, does she know?" Nudge strutted over and sat next to me.

"Now she knows, only after you greeted me while flying." I put my hands over my head.

"How come all of you can fly like birds?" Khinara tried to stay calm.

"Long story short, some scientists gone mad experimented on us as infants and we got these." I stood up and extended both wings.

"And now we are on the run because of it." I looked Khinara straight in the eyes.

"That is way we're all bloody and bruised."

"How horrid," Khinara's face tensed. Jim came carrying two plates of tri-tip when he saw me with my outstretched wings.

"Whoa," he set the plates on the table and walked up closer to my wings. I wasn't accustomed to total strangers eyeballing my wings so naturally I stepped back.

"Jim, don't be intrusive," Khinara advised him.

"Aunt Khinara! Can we have supper please?" I heard children calling. Nudge and I made wide eyes at each other and I folded my wings and sat down quickly.

"We should leave," I smiled at Khinara and rose to signal Nudge that we had to depart to safeguard our secret. The others probably weren't far away.

"No, wait! Please, I insist." Khinara motioned for us to sit. We'll serve you and your friends, and perhaps over dinner we can find ways to help you." Khinara gestured for us to sit. I sat down uneasily.

"Away from my nieces and nephews," she whispered and smiled. I nodded, and she gestured for us to follow. She led us down the hill from her campground overlooking the creek with our tri-tip, and here there was a solitary picnic table.

"Better," I sighed. I pushed her plate of food prepared for her over to where she sat.

"No, she can have it." Khinara smiled nodding at Nudge. Nudge's eyes lit up.

"Thank you," Nudge ate happily.

"Max, Nudge! Hey, we're here!" I heard Gasman cry. Nudge and I smiled at everyone's arrival; it was good to be safely reunited. I let everyone give their introduction and Khinara did so herself.

"I imagine you all are famished, I will get food for all of you." Khinara went for more food leaving us all alone.

"Fang!" I kissed him on the cheek.

"Hi Maximum," he embraced me.

"Sorry for my emotional break down earlier." I hugged him back.

"Never mind that. What is foremost to me and all of us is that you're safe; that we're all safe." Fang smiled looking to see everyone was present.

"Ari, though. What happened to him?" I was hopeful even though I was certain he was dead. Fang shook his head.

"The explosion was so massive, so fatal that there was not a chance for his survival." Fang caressed my hair.

"What a waste of a life," I bowed my head shaking it in disapproval of Jeb whom I now loathed beyond what words could describe.

"No! Max, don't view it like that. Ari died so we could live on. Don't you know?" Fang narrowed his eyes earnestly on the last sentence. I nodded; I would miss my little biological brother.

"I know, but Mom could've helped him_" Fang put his hand up for me to stop.

"No. It wouldn't have been wise, that's not what he'd have wanted." Fang comforted me with a hug.

"Maximum, don't think of it as suicide, but as self-sacrifice. It truly was his only option." Fang whispered in my ear.

"Yes, I see now," I nodded, "living much longer for him would've been agonizing."

"Ari's expiration was tomorrow anyway," Iggy spoke up, "Jeb was just using him to the end."

"How did you know?" I was astonished Iggy knew.

"It was printed clearly on the back of him and I told Iggy," Nudge munched on some potato chips on her plate.

"Every Eraser's expiration date appears just a few days prior to their expiration." Nudge regaled me. I wiped my face clean of tears.

"Well," I paused "I suppose it was his dying wish to save us."

"Yup," Gasman sat solemnly looking down trod like Angel.

"I'm back with food," Khinara came with Jim carefully carrying four more plates.

"Thank you Jim," Khinara thanked him. Jim sat down with her.

"Wow, you all are quite the crew." Khinara smiled seeing all of our faces at once.

"Yes, we've stuck together like glue for a long time." Angel grinned trying to bring up the mood.

"Thank you for food." Iggy dug right in.

"Yeah," Gasman nodded chewing. Fang gave a thumbs up, and Angel hugged Khinara in gratitude.

"Ah, you're so cute." Khinara hugged her back affectionately.

"Now, uh, Max is there a number we can call for your Mom?" Jim folded his hands.

"Yes, but that would only endanger her and my biological sister."

"Okay, then what should we do? Call police?" Khinara really wanted to help.

"No, just let us go on our own and don't call anyone. It's better that way, no one gets hurt." I said seriously.

"Max, I hate to just see you go. I feel like the Good Lord brought you to us for a reason." Kinara's gestures added an honest comitance and yearning to help.

"If you only knew what we have been through, you'd decline in helping us instantly." I chuckled lightheartedly.

"Max _"

"Please, we're alright." Fang stopped them.

"We thank you for your friendliness, but we're too risky to be around." Fang made it clear.

Jim sighed, "C'mon don't just push our extended hands away."

"I am afraid it's what we must do so you all stay alive." Fang ended all argument.

Jim sighed again, "Alright, but please take our contact information. Anytime you need us, we are available." Jim handed us sheet of notebook paper with emails, phone numbers, and even addresses.

"We must depart before they find us here with both of you." Fang stood authoritatively; as second in command he could declare when we leave somewhere. I trusted his instinct. "Farewell and we wish the best for all of you." Khinara grasped my hand firmly in hers, tears came to her eyes. She hugged me tightly for a solid minute, as she did to all of us. Waving our final goodbyes we took flight once again.


	7. Chapter 7: A New Approach

Chapter 7: A New Approach

**WOOSH** went the wind under our wings. We were all weary, ready to stop for the day and rest.

"Max, can we stop at a Motel 6 or something?" Nudge whined.

"No, not now Nudge we must at least make it farther north well into Nevada." I said checking the time on my i pod. It was almost 7 PM.

Angel yawned, her tiny white, perfect teeth shining in the setting sun. Her eyes twinkled like two little stars.

"How much farther?" Iggy zoomed in front of me.

"I haven't a clue, just keep flying north until I say stop." I shrugged. Iggy nodded, falling back behind me and Fang. The two of us were drafting for the others who were on the verge of pooping out.

"Max, we really can't fly much farther." Gazzy complained.

"Guys, I really need you to pull through. Who knows Flyboys and Erasers could be hunting us down as of right now." I tried frightening them into flying faster.

"Where are we even flying to?" Nudge interrogated; I really wasn't in a good mood after all of today's ordeals.

"We are flying away from them, away from the school in Death valley. To safety." I encouraged them on

Nudge snickered, "Yeah, temporary safety."

"This is reminds of all the other times we were constantly on the run. Never stopping, always struggling to live like in New York City, in Virginia, in Florida. As soon as we all thought we were safe there they came again, each time a new threat."

"Please, Iggy. Must we rehash these memories now?" I begged him to stop, but still he proceeded.

"And you know what? It's never gonna stop. We're like criminals on the run for life." Iggy positioned his head upward as if looking up. He looked delirious for a moment. He sighed his head falling downward, his sandy, straight hair falling over his eyes.

"I wonder if we stopped flying away from every situation. What could happen then?" Iggy posed.

"WE'D DIE," I derided, "THAT'S ALL THERE IS TOO IT." My voice was stiff.

"Quit dreaming of a better life, it's never going to happen!" I scolded him and other wishful thinkers among us.

"Don't yell Max." Fang demanded.

"What you're doing is ripping us apart once again. I say we call it a night, and find a secluded forest and rest in the trees there." Fang insisted.

I nodded, too tired to protest.

"Sorry everyone," I voiced my apology for everyone to hear. I hated myself for creating tense feelings.

There's a copse of trees down there." Fang pointed and dove; we descended with him all landing in various branches nearby each other.

"Iggy posed a good point up there." Fang perched on his feet.

"If we ceased running and resisted, maybe something good could come out of it. Think of our strength. We could do it, defeat them." Fang actually appeared passionate about his thoughts to fight back.

"Wouldn't that be ironic? If they were actually scared of us." Iggy laughed a little light-hearted.

"What a thought." Nudge looking to the setting sun. Her look of newfound motivation reminded me of the scene in the movie Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope that depicts Luke Skywalker gazing into the sunset of Tatooine, a planet that orbits binary stars. That scene is pretty much the turning point in the plot; perhaps likewise it would be for us. But of course that movie was only a work of fiction.

"What does everyone think?" Fang inquired.

"That'd be awesome." Angel looked beamed brightly.

Gazzy tooted in approval; he stuck his thumb up smirking. We all laughed and even scattered scared birds surrounding us, sending them into flight.

"Atta boy," Iggy ruffled his hair.

"That's exactly what we all needed." I praised Gazzy chuckling.

"Are you sure the six of us alone can do it?" Fang was engaged intently. Fang and I exchanged unsure looks, I bit my lip.

"Good question." I nodded in contemplation, I wasn't totally on board.

"It would help if there were more of us." Nudge added.

"Yes, if only they existed." I sighed.

"They do! Do you remember all those kids at the Institute we freed in New York City?" Nudge informed me happily.

"Yea," I paused, "how could we contact them?"

"The internet." Fang smirked.

"Oh, don't go on about your blog." I rolled my eyes.

"Max, it has more than several million hits." Fang reminded me.

"Okay, but we don't want several million people to know about this." I suggested.

"Is there more of a discreet way?' I wondered.

"Yes, give me an operating computer and some wi-fi and I could conjure up some names and addresses." Fang nodded.

"The internet, I believe, is our most effective asset." Fang said smiling out our chance for success.

"Maximum, are you in though?" Fang turned the conversation to me.

"It'd be risky." I gave everyone a sure look, I gulped.

"Are all of you really willing to gamble your lives like that? Envision what become of all of us if we," I paused.

"Didn't succeed?" Nudge glanced to the each of us. I nodded; even speaking of the possibility was blood-curdling. We sat, all silent.

"But what with all the allies we can contact that probably can't happen." Iggy spoke up.

"Come on, our chances are high! After all we are superhuman aren't we?" Iggy raised our hopes.

"Yeah!" Gasman stood up in agreement and almost forgot we weren't on solid ground and spread his wings.

"Totally!" Nudge jumped up extending her wings to catch herself.

"Yes!" Angel threw her tiny fist up.

"Hell yeah!" Fang couldn't help himself. That just left me to exclaim my agreement.

"Despite the dangers of it, I'm in." I confessed, all cheered.

"Promise me that you all improve flight, and fight moves. Plus, not only would we need better ability, but also better agility." I spoke over the noise.

"Yes, "Fang agreed.

"If we plan on taking them down, you should all become as good as Max and me." Fang was really raising the bar for everyone. I hoped we could do it; it was all we could really do anyway.


	8. Chapter 8: Fang's Blog

Chapter 8: Fang's Blog

"Fang?" I lay next to him by the light of our fading fire lit from the friction of rubbing sticks together. We had nothing but ourselves and Fang's wallet containing our debit card that was our only help. Our belongings we'd brought were left at my mom's house. We all knew returning **there** wasn't a choice.

"Hmm," he murmured from face down, asleep. He languidly repositioned to face the sky with his arms in a triangle under his head.

"Can we chat?" I asked.

"What," He yawned, his mouth broadly opened. It reminded me of when a cat yawns.

"Are you really certain all this will work?" I stared constantly at one star as it twinkled above.

"Truthfully, we all have our ideals; dreams that this will all end up the way we want it. But in life we can only hope and persevere for the best outcome." Fang stopped.

"There are never really any guarantees Max." He glanced at me and tucked strands of hair behind my left ear.

"Hope is all we've got, all we can grip onto. And as long as we have some motive, something to spur us on, we have a future." He breathed down my neck, it felt like a warm breeze blowing my back.

"A good one?"

"I don't know. None of us do." Fang moved his eyes from me to the starry sky, it was better than any movie theater or planetarium one could visit. I thought back to the all the astronomers so captivated that they spent the entirety of their lives just gazing at stars and charting our universe from what was visible to them.

"Do you recall any constellations Jeb taught us those nights he took us up on the roof to view stars through his telescope?" I recalled those somewhat few, happy memories left in my memory bank. I could recollect a few fragments of memory where Jeb actually loved all six of us like his own. Yes, those were the blissful days of my childhood when the seven of us were siblings. When Jeb taught us reading, writing, physics, astronomy, anatomy, algebra, and mixed martial arts. Occasionally there were the culinary cooking lessons too; that's where Iggy found his niche for food.

That was all pre-Ari's-alteration from an adorable kid to an Eraser. The sickest thing about it was that Jeb cajoled Ari into it with Transhumanist lies of superior strength, senses, and being. Disregarded little Ari was probably seduced in by the illusion that'd he get more attention from Jeb. His experimentation was altogether painful and wasn't worth the surgeries and injections; he was never loved and cared as he hoped he'd be by Jeb.

After Ari transformed into the monster he was, he and Jeb rejected us. We were neglected in our kennels at the school for three to four days at a time getting food maybe twice a day every other day. All the time, everyday was tests and trials, injections, and pill ingestions. Soon surgeries were performed to "enhance" or senses, sometimes with little sedatives. All of us underwent the raptor vision surgery. By the time they administered the erroneous eye surgery for raptor vision to Iggy, there was a drug shortage. His surgery was faulty and done without proper technique resulting in his blindness. The all of us were terror-stricken as we audibly listened to his groans and grimaces from the operating room. Iggy was returned to his kennel a day later with bandages over his eyes, he was silent. Jeb planned to help us breakaway and moved us to house in the Colorado Mountains (excluding Ari) where we could be "trained more." He told us it would be better than the school. We all jumped at the offer, and went not knowing the bigger plan. Jeb "disappeared" so we declared him dead; not knowing he'd ditched us.

Later that same year he and his Erasers kidnapped Angel which sent us after her and ever since we've been all around the globe with EVERYBODY after us for various reasons. Jeb, wealthy millionaires, people who want us dead, governments, and even Hollywood have attempted to get us to their side. Every time we refused, because as I said we give allegiance to none and all we ever wanted was freedom. Never to be trapped in dog kennels.

"Let's not summon our demons of the past, please." Fang shut his eyes and turned his head away from me. Offended a moment I was gonna get defensive, but I decided a second later I didn't have the energy.

"Sorry, just was wondering if you could identify any constellations." I apologized.

"I can actually," he paused and pointed, "there, that's Orion."

I chuckled, "even Nudge knows that one."

"Come one, impress me." I smirked.

"Fine, see there?" Fang moved his finger up a ways to the left.

"That's Hercules. Do you know his story?" Fang smirked.

"No, tell me." I blinked softly.

"Hercules was born of a mortal, a twin actually. He didn't resemble his normal twin brother whatsoever. Many said he must be the son of a god because of his super strength and immortal characteristics, so he was named Hercules. The news of his birth promptly made it back to Hera, Zeus's wife. She knew that he was not human; rather he was the son of Zeus. She was furious with jealousy because Zeus had been with another woman. So with Poseidon's help she sent serpents to kill Hercules and his twin Iphicles, but was unsuccessful. Hera tried to connive another plan without Zeus's knowledge. Although, he discovered she'd attempted to kill Hercules and went mad to the point where he bashed in Hera's and his kid's skulls. He almost committed suicide later when he realized the terrible deed he'd done. Zeus was prompted not to by Theseus, who convinced him he wasn't in his right mind when he murdered his family."

"Hmph, what a story. Zeus and Hera probably had serious marital issues." I mumbled.

"Oh that's the only version I can recall now." Fang said

"People wanted him dead at birth, that's hard." I was baffled.

"Funny how relatable it is though," Fang laughed light-heartedly.

"You're right. That's not good." I giggled.

"Well, it's our life so we have to make do." I shrugged.

"It won't stay that way forever." Fang turned on his side away from me leaving me chilled. I was cold without his body heat.

"Please face me again." I begged.

"Mmm," Fang replied fading off into sleep again.

"Please!" I whined.

"Move over here closer to the fire, it's hotter." Fang mumbled.

"Really?" I repositioned myself on the other side of Fang in an instant. He was right, it was warmer. WAY warmer, it felt cozy.

"Get rest, Max" Fang secured his arm around my waist. I snuggled it as if it were a body pillow.

"Night" I kissed his hand and conked out.

**THUD! **I hear wood crash to the ground and am startled awake.

"Gasman! I told you to softly put down the fire wood!" Iggy rebuked Gazzy.

"Sticks!? Why'd you gather sticks?" I yawned.

"To get a fire going for warmth! Aren't you cold?" Nudge was hugging her legs and sitting on the ground.

"I'd be in what you're wearing." I outstretched my tense arms loosen my muscles. Nudge was wearing a simple plain, with t-shirt and black track shorts a little higher than her fingertips.

"Not my fault I don't have warmer clothes with me." Nudge was repulsed.

"We all stink and need showers." She complained wrinkling her nose.

"I second that!" I coincided; I could smell the rank stench of sweat and blood.

"Can we go to a hotel and clean up?" Nudge demanded.

"Next order of business after breakfast!" I assured our little diva.

"Good," Nudge pinched her nose.

"Where's Fang?" I demanded.

"Out with Angel to get fast food to chow on for breakfast." Iggy knelt preparing a fire.

"Can I help start the fire?" Gazzy clapped his hand observing Iggy.

"Hey! Why's the blind guy starting a fire?!" I protested.

"I am the only one that knows how, besides Jeb taught me how before I went blind." Iggy proceeded in fire-starting.

"At least someone can do it. What'd we do without you, Iggy?" I smiled.

"We'd have horrible burnt meals," Nudge commented smirking. The other three laughed, I was left sulking. I sighed. Suddenly I heard the beating of wings from meters away; Angel was flying on Fang's right. The two were tightly clutching onto paper bags from Burger King, the oils were seeping through. I hoped Fang remembered to pick up plenty of napkins.

"Morning Max," He kissed me on the cheek. He released the paper bags and laid them on the ground.

"Eat up kids," I cleared out of where the feeding frenzy of the voracious children was already beginning.

Fang handed me an egg sandwich. I accepted it with a smile of gratitude.

"There are ten more of those if you're still hungry." Fang whispered to me.

"Thanks! You're the best boyfriend any girl could ask for." I hugged him tight and released biting into my sandwich.

"Don't take forever to eat; we're headed to a hotel with wifi after this." I announced. The others looked over at me chewing, their mouths full. Hamburger wrappers (thirteen at least) and trash were thrown to the ground. Nudge sipped her large soda and wiped her fingers on a napkin. Angel was nonchalantly nibbling on fries. Iggy and Gazzy both ate another burger; yup they all sure had some good eats. I giggled; it was such a joy to see them eat to their stomach's full capacity.

"You are all so fun to watch." I crossed one leg over the other in a composed, chillaxed way.

"You would laugh if you'd saw the cashier's face when we ordered all that food." Fang chuckled at the memory shoving a fry in his mouth. I giggled picturing it:

"Ah, so let me clarify sir. You want ten egg sandwiches, six large fries, five double cheeseburgers, eight bacon and cheese breakfast sandwiches, four parfaits, and six extra large sodas?"

"Yes," Fang would shrug as if it were normal.

"Okay that'll be eighty-five ninety seven." The clerk would scratch her head nervously.

"Can you pay for that?" She'd ask.

"Yeah," Fang would hand her the debit card without a grain of doubt.

"Alrightie, please sign digitally that you are sure of your order." Fang would grab the pen all irritated and sign.

"That'll be probably over a twenty minute waiting sir," the clerk would smile without sincerity and go to prepare all the food he was asking for.

"You sure know how to irritate people with that blasé, indifferent attitude of yours. You act like this is all completely typical for teenagers to be ordering large quantities of food." I laughed. Fang smirked and shrugged.

"What can I say, it's just me and how I role." Fang whipped his head left to get hair out of his face.

"That's what I love about you, you're proud of it." I began on a second egg sandwich.

"I love you too." Fang yawns.

"I looked around the town nearby, uh, Laughlin. Angel and I booked a room for all of us to shower at some inn and use their wifi."

"Good, y'all need it." I nodded chomping a chunk of my sandwich finishing it and was on to my third.

"Kay kids, you done?" Fang slowly arose.

"Yeah," Nudge was sufficed. Iggy and Gazzy both nodded sipping soda.

"Definitely, that was a filling meal." Angel stumbled up.

"Great then, let's go shower!" I shouted glad that the stinky kids would be fresh as a daisy.

**BEEP!** Fang stuck our room card in the slot, we were in.

"Youngest first! The limit is three minutes and thirty seconds!" Angel ran into the bathroom delighted to bathe. I felt bad that these kids couldn't shower daily.

"Yes! They have computers in the hotel room!" Fang gestured a fist downward for victory. He typed rapidly and was online in under a minute. I peeked over his shoulder as he updated his blog. He was summarizing our adventure with the Erasers and all that'd happened with Ari yesterday. He wrote about our need for help too, he was particular on his word-choice and only asked for advice.

"Hey whatever you do, don't give our location!" I alerted him.

"I never give any of that. The only thing my subscribers know is that we're in the U.S." Fang progressed in his small blog update.

"Often I will post pictures of the flock," Fang told me.

"What?!" I was outraged.

"Its fine, I even post pictures of you and me. Many girls on here covet you." He grinned.

"They can't have you." I put my arms around Fang territorially.

"I ignore their requests of a relationship online." He rolled his eyes.

"Huh, you better. I ought to stamp the word 'taken' on your forehead" I knelt down to his sitting level. He scrolled through comments and more comments. He paused occasionally to read some comments that were tagged as advice, the few favored comments got replies too. Strings of comments left by girls asked Fang out or for Fang to post more pictures. A few requested him to visit their page for a very, um, intimate relationship of himself. He made faces and deleted some very indecent comments. He skimmed over more of the same type of requests from one of the same user repeatedly; her name was **BawdyBabe** with a suggestive profile photo. He instantly hovered the cursor over her profile and clicked 'dismiss user.' Her profile was instantly deleted. He sighed and clicked another button, 'back to top.' Next, Fang left a comment to all his fan girls:

**xXFang's BlogXx**: PLEASE STOP BOMBARDING ME WITH YOUR REQUESTS TO DATE ME. MAX IS ALREADY MY GIRLFRIEND. ALL FLIRTATIOUS OR CRUDE COMMENTS ARE NOT READ BY ME AND ARE DELETED. MULTIPLE OFFENSES WILL RESULT IN ACCOUNT TERMINATION.

In the next minutes there were already several replies by his saddened admirers.

**Fang's_Girl**: Ah please baby, Max doesn't have to know. ;)

**UTTER_BEAUTY: **I am your girl, none other should have you. You're in denial if you choose Max over me.

**xXRandomBlogReaderXx**: Sheesh, feel sorry for ya man. You get spammed with this crap. :(

I frowned at the comments he received.

"You should have some way to filter spam." I shook my head in disapproval of the comments left.

"I will when I have more time. With administrator privileges that's possible." He logged out. I glanced at my timer; it was well over five minutes so I rushed to the bathroom door about to bang on it. Angel came out with her hair wet and dressed. She smelled like lilacs.

"Gasman your next!" I called. He sprinted in shutting the door behind him and started the water. I reset the timer and went back by Fang's side, this time I grabbed a chair to recline in. A chain letter email written by Fang titled JOIN THE STAND AGAINST THE SCHOOL was already written; he was now going through contacts to send it off. I was permitted to read it before he pressed 'SEND':

A Message for Mutants Everywhere,

Yesterday was very eventful; Ari died. This time PERMANANTLY. With him gone the flock has one less threat. He and several Flyboys and Erasers went down in a chopper after all of us escaped with his assistance. If you want more details click here to read my blog.

Most significantly though, the six of us sat down and exchanged our thoughts yesterday. We chatted about what we were going to do next in terms of our plan of action. Majority expressed they were tired of constant struggles of escape, and were appealed by Iggy's idea of retaliating instead of running. After much convincing of our leader, Maximum, she agreed to it. Although she was anxious of our few numbers against their mass numbers, that's why we urge you to unite with us. All reading this email can join. Compared to them we are far stronger, we can make this happen. Visualize our forces if we ALL teamed up against those who experimented on us! Don't forget the days of the agony and torture of their inhuman experimentation on you!

Email me soon if you feel compelled. We can arrange a meet-up somewhere in the lower forty-eight states.

-Fang

"You should be a motivational speaker. You really pepped me up." I smiled.

"Sure," Fang sarcastically replied.

"Max, it's your turn to shower." Nudge shucked a towel at me.

"Already?" I looked at the timer. It'd been ten minutes; I merrily skipped into the bathroom to shower. Maybe Fang could really get this resistance going. With the almighty power of Google, we seemed unstoppable.


	9. Chapter 9: An Afternoon at the Pool

Chapter 9: An Afternoon at the Pool

**SPLASH!** Droplets of water soaked the pool deck from Gasman's plunge off the diving board into the deep end. Angel and I clapped and held up ten fingers, Nudge held up on six fingers.

"Ah you're so critical!" Gazzy propelled himself through the water while on his back.

"You didn't do any cool tricks," Nudge shrugged, "why should I give you a high rating?'

"What do you expect I am not an Olympic diver?" Gasman threw up his arms in exclamation.

"I still think you can challenge yourself." She cocked her head and smiled slightly.

Gazzy narrowed his eyes and his mouth became a serious, straight line to give a determined face.

"Fine, challenge accepted!" Gazzy climbed d the diving board again and walked out slowly. He took one breath and jumped up twice, back flipped, and penetrated the water with a great diver's form.

Where'd this kid learn to dive like he did? Fang clapped from in the Jacuzzi.

"Show'em Gasman! I taught him that!" Fang praised Gazzy.

"You taught him those tricks? I can hardly dive as it is!" I stopped leaning on the railing of the steps that led into the shallow end and stood upright. The water came up to my thighs and I trudged up the steps. I flicked on the jets and moved in the hot tub next to Fang.

"Yup, I learned it on YouTube then taught him." He put his arm around me.

"The internet is so useful." I said.

"Immensely,' his eyes bulged while nodding. I saw Nudge and Angel get up to take a dip. Nudge put her toe in the pool to test the water's temperature, Angel just jumped in careless of the temperature.

"Let's play mermaids!" Angel frolicked around with the floaties on her arms to help her stay afloat.

"How about we play the assassin mermaid hunter game, I am the trained assassin who hunts mermaids! If I get any of you –the mermaids- I win." Gazzy grinned broadly using all his teeth.

"No!" Angel whined.

"I ain't playing!" Nudge got up and sashayed to the Jacuzzi to sit with us. Angel's eyes began to get red and watery.

"No! I wanna play mermaids!" Angel thrashed her arms wildly.

Iggy sighed from where he was sitting at the table munching on his pizza we ordered.

"Angel don't start!" He shouted.

"NOOOO! I wanna play mermaids NOW!" she screeched prompting people to stare. I rolled my eyes.

"Angel stop or you're going back to the hotel room for a nap!" I scolded and she shut up instantly. I toned down my voice; I wanted to be tender but disciplinary.

"None of us like to hear complainers; Nudge doesn't want to play right now. I need you to respect Nudge and her wishes and know that you cannot have what you want every day. We're all just in the mood to sit and enjoy our afternoon in the hot tub. Come join us!" I beckoned.

"But I wanna play mermaids!" She sobbed. Ugh. I guessed I would have to teach her a lesson today.

"I gave you a warning! That's it! Back to the hotel room for a time out." I got up out of the soothing, warm waters. Fang sighed and I rolled my eyes. He beckoned for me to halt.

"I'll take her to the room." He was angered by her to, but he would stay calm and cool unlike me who would allow small, pesky things to bother me. I nodded breathing deeply to keep from yelling. He smiled.

"I need to update my blog very quickly anyway, I'll be back in about twenty minutes." He spoke.

"Thank you," I sighed. The two of them left with the metal gate abruptly closing after their heels. Iggy and Gasman decided to join Nudge and me in the hot tub after Fang and Angel left for the room. Iggy stretched sluggishly and settled in the Jacuzzi now fizzing with bubbles.

"Glad she's gone." He shook his head as sick of the whining six-year-old as I was.

"Yea," I nodded.

"I've been struggling to teach her that she can't whine to get what she wants." I put my head back with ease.

"You did the right thing I think; punishing her for temper tantrums and crying for attention will put her in line." Iggy formed a tight fist.

"I don't look at it as punishment, more like a lesson to teach her not to scream." I blinked softly almost asleep.

"I agree, I don't believe in spanking children to get them to listen. Rather, I think a firm scolding will get them to listen. Just when needed though; not furiously, but firmly to get them to obey." Nudge clarified.

"Exactly what I meant." I made thumbs up. We heard a loud, long ten second toot causing water to bubble up around Gasman.

"Ahh, that was great!" Iggy high-fived Gasman and laughed. I smiled while Nudge just got up out of the hot tub repulsed by it all. Gasman just cackled more.

"Hey who's up for game of water polo?" Nudge bolted over with a random volley ball in her hand.

"Oooh yes!" Gasman nodded.

Terrific idea," Iggy smiled. He would win, I already knew. He was stealth in the water, he couldn't see but he could sense where the ball was at all times.

"Alright," I was reluctant and worn. We all clambered from the Jacuzzi to the cool pool. Iggy started dividing Nudge and I and himself plus Gasman into teams. Nudge and I struggled at first, but continually gained on them to the point where we kept scoring points at the imaginary goal on their side of the pool. Iggy and Gazzy got the shallower end because Gazzy wasn't as capable of swimming as we were. We played for a good three hours with the score fifty to fifty-four. Gazzy and Iggy won at the end because Nudge and I were just pooped out from all the swimming. Nudge, Gasman, and I sat at the pool edge for five minutes to rest.

"Great game," Iggy patted me on the shoulder and pulled up a chair to sit down close to us with a towel draped over him.

"Max!" I heard Fang call from over the fence.

"Yes?" I answered.

"It's almost 5:30 are you guys up for supper yet?" Fang inquired.

"YES!" The four of us shouted at concurrent times. Fang was taken aback as if we meant it rudely.

"We're ravenous beasts!" Nudge added.

"Well come and get showered to go out for some food." Fang motioned for us to come on. I and the others sprinted to the gate with our towels and sunscreen to leave. We left the volley ball sitting at the pool edge so whoever owned it could pick it up. To my surprise in the room Angel was happily watching cartoons, already bathed.

"Who goes first?"" Nudge blurted about to book it for the bathroom.

"Cool it! Youngest was first last time so now we reverse the order from eldest to youngest this time. Today it's Iggy, you, then Gazzy. I'll go last voluntarily." I directed traffic.

"Alright!" Iggy moved to the bathroom.

"Remember to set your new, soaked swimsuits on the rack to dry!" I nagged Iggy. He nodded and was off. We'd all went shopping for more clothing yesterday and new supplies.

"Ugh," Nudge slouched her posture. Gazzy shrugged and sat down on the floor in his towel to watch cartoons and wait. I knelt beside Fang to watch him as he typed on his blog.

"What's the update today?" I inquired.

"Well since I sent out the email yesterday, I haven't had any replies yet except one." He looked at what he was typing and then back at the screen.

"It was from a girl you released in New York City. She and two others are willing to join us."

"Oh my God!" I put my hand over my mouth in disbelief.

"They said the soonest we could meet was the day after tomorrow; they left today from Pennsylvania where they are currently residing." Fang went on.

"They're coming all the way from there?" I gasped.

"No. Their leader I think, Scarlett, wants us to meet them in Nebraska." Fang told us.

"In Nebraska? The land of corn?" Nudge inquired.

"Yes. I thought we could rest up tonight and leave for Nebraska tomorrow?" Fang was welling up with excitement, this was unlike him.

"Alright tomorrow we head for Nebraska." I consented.

"We're on our way to something good Max." Fang grinned. I hugged him, our hopes were rising.


	10. Chapter 10: Scarlett

Chapter 10: Scarlett

"I want to get to Kearney A.S.A.P.!" I took a running start into flight from back parking lot of IHOP. We all just stocked up on calories over breakfast for the day's LONG journey. The six of us were hyped up and ready to head out.

"Everyone has their stuff? Nothing left behind?" Fang actually asked the others (that was something I only ever bothered to do).

"Yup!" I heard Nudge sure of herself as she sprinted and extended her wings that carried her off the ground.

"Yes!" Iggy and Gazzy high-fived already in midair.

"Angel? How 'bout you?" I asked in her direction.

"Yup! Coming!" She flitted her wings and slowly rose upward.

"It's about one thousand one hundred miles to where we're headed in Kearney, Nebraska! We will roughly be there in five to six hours if we can keep a constant speed of one hundred and ninety or two hundred MPH! The faster we go the better; we don't wanna keep them waiting!" Fang shouted over the wind.

"Alright!" I screamed back. Nudge and Angel nodded from right behind me; I was drafting for them. Every now and then Iggy and I would switch off.

"Okay!" Gasman called to Fang.

"I feel a breeze pushing me! Get me behind me Iggy, Gazzy!" Everyone was silent as we all turned on our i pods and enjoyed the swift morning wind. I did drop dives every now and then just for fun, the rest joined me and we smiled and laughed except for Fang. He was invisible above all the cloud coverage; there he flew alone. I decided I would leave the others for a moment to find him. I curved my posture to alter my direction. Elevating up, the plush, cotton-looking clouds liquefied around me. I peeked over the masses of clouds and saw Fang soaring solitarily. The sunlight hit his black wings that seemingly made him appear heroically, maybe even heavenly. His head was positioned up with his eyes closed, ear buds in. I silenced the flapping of my wings to a steady, soft barely audible flutter. He was oblivious to my presence. **Whoosh! **I heard the wind as it kissed my cheeks stealing my attention for few moments. But then I remembered why I was here. I eased upward until I was directly over him, only inches apart. His muscular deltoids showed through his shirt wet with perspiration. Observing them bulge with each extension of his wings horizontally was fun to do. No wonder he was the envy of every girl on the internet. All I desired was to reach downward and feel them. I reached out in wanting, but before I could catch myself my hand was already there. He sprung up startled. My hand went back instantly. He giggled and grinned, my countenance was red all over with humiliation due to my lack of restraint. Strangely though, I was elated, exulted by his laughter too.

"Trying to creep up on me?" He chuckled.

"Yeah," my lips turned into a smile.

"That never works!" He laughed.

"Not uh! I felt you jump!" I defended myself. I was good at scaring people. Sometimes.

He spun from his position from face down to looking right at me. He _**stopped**_. I felt my wings involuntarily standstill. He hugged me; I melted in his muscley, tight grip on me. Seconds earlier I was tensed in nervousness and trepidation (Of what? I didn't exactly know). But was now loosened, unconstricted. The two of us completely halted in midair and were literally falling out of the sky together. Together, we fall, together we fly, and together we'd die. He kissed me incessantly on the lips until I pushed up from his chest and threw his arms off me and extended my wings due to the fact we were only less than fifty feet from the ground. He quickly did the same.

"We really gotta be more careful about that." I said brushing sweat off my face.

"Sorry." We both rose back up to where the flock was about a mile beyond us. I smiled in the warmth of sunlight, he did too. That little P.D.A. in midair reminded me of the way bald eagles mate; locking talons in midair and releasing right before impact.

"Come on," he offered his hand. I stopped; I still couldn't believe such a beauty like him loved **me**. He extended his arm farther out beckoning me. I clutched it possessively. It was mine, all mine.

"Your property of Maximum Ride." I winked at him.

"I am proud property of Maximum Ride." He pulled me to his chest and kissed me and flew on with his arm around me. We were caught up with the others as we steadily soared along for hours.

"I see it! There!" Gazzy pointed.

"It's a sign for Kearney, Nebraska!" Gasman alerted us all.

"Ha! Alright!" I swooped lower to read the sign more accurately.

"Gazzy! It says we're sixty miles away from Kearney!" I spotted the small '60 miles' part of the sign written beneath the bold 'Kearney, Nebraska.' Gasman was just so ready to get to Kearney.

"Ahh," he snapped his finger in disappointment.

"We can get there faster if we speed up!" My eyes brightened with my speech.

"FIIIIIIIIiiiiiiiiiine!" He boosted forward, his voice fading out as he went farther ahead.

"Atta boy," I muttered.

"Wait up!" Iggy raced up to him with Nudge and Angel following.

"Cute isn't it?" I asked Fang.

"Yeah," he slowed next to me. I grabbed his hand and sped forward dragging him along. We couldn't stop every half hour for a display of affection in midair. He got the clue to keep up and we flew hand in hand, side by side over corn fields that swayed in the breeze below us 'til we reached Kearney not much later.

"We're here kids!" I piped up as our feet touched ground.

"I take it this is the address she gave you?" I looked around. Six of us were standing before a ramshackle, deserted five-story office building complemented with an empty, shabby parking lot faded out from years of continuous sunlight.

"Yea," Fang raised an eyebrow, "the address is approximate."

"Nice place for a rendezvous." I strode to the doors, everyone followed silently. Probably all were confused, perhaps even anxious that this was a trap. Angel stopped.

"I am not going in there." She was horrified of its decrepit look.

"It's alright. Everything_"

"No Max! Do you recall what Ari said? Another one of us has a tracker! This could be another trap! Another attempt of theirs to capture us!" Angel fretted.

"No, I assure you it's not." A voice spoke from in the late afternoon shadows.

"Come into the light! NOW!" I roared defensively of my flock. That's when I saw her. Scarlett with her short very layered hair, scarlett sleeveless high neck top, jean shorts, and scarlet converse. Sheesh she had a thing for the color scarlet. She appeared with two other motley looking kids.

"I am Scarlett," she scowled. I scowled in return; we did so for a full minute. It felt like a never-ending staring contest.

"Max," I finally broke the long silence extending my hand from a wary distance. Scarlett shook my hand.

"I am Adam." the boy stepped closer from the shadows with a smile, he clearly lacked restraint. I cocked my head, unsure what to think of him in his dark wash jeans, black Nikes, and black shirt with Grumpy Cat on the front.

"I am Ava" a short-haired brunette girl in faded jean shorts and black band t-shirt with similar features came from behind. I compared Ava and Adam; the two were twins.

"You two are_"

"Twins? Yeah we know." Ava interrupted chuckling.

"These are the kids?" I looked to Fang. He nodded. I glanced back at Scarlett, and I realized something. Something, so powerful the impact of it was like a brick falling from the sky that hit me on the head.

I'd seen Scarlett and her companions before at the Institute in New York City!

"Sheesh you've changed since I last saw you." I scratched my head.

Scarlett laughed. "You've seen us? When? How?" Adam and Ava had severely confused expressions on their faces.

"Remember back to New York City in the Institute? Do you recall who exactly freed you?" I narrowed my eyes hoping my words would spark some kind of memory. Scarlett's eyes bulged in remembrance.

"Yes, I can recall it was you that saved us!" Scarlett smiled at me; it was as if I were an old friend.

"Thank you for that."

"You're welcome; all I wanted to see was the expressions on your faces when you felt wind and sunlight for the first time ever. That feeling, that freedom is life changing." I flashbacked in my mind to the first time I flew.

"Is anyone hungry?" Fang queried spontaneously. Oh, Fang.

"Food? You have that?" Ava's eyes widened.

"No," Fang looked at Ava funny, "but we can get some." Fang pointed to a café down the street.

"How do you afford that?" Ava inquired.

"We have a debit card that has infinite funds." Fang spoke in a hushed voice stepping closer to Scarlett, Ava, and her brother.

"Really? How?" Scarlett inquired.

"We don't really know. We just got it in New York." I shrugged.

"Just trust us on this. We can talk more at the café." I led everyone along.

From a secluded booth in the back of the café…

"That's our story," I took a breath from talking a lot. I went on spiel about us and our flock history, beginning to now. Everyone had been introduced and acquainted. I'd rehashed all the miseries and constant casualties of experiments-gone-wrong at the school, but I also told them of the happier times after we broke out.

"Tell us yours." Nudge nodded to them.

"Our upbringing was almost identical except that we were held at the Institute in New York City, and that nobody ever had compassion on us to teach us anything. We educated ourselves after we got out of the Institute and headed to Pennsylvania thanks to homeschooling programs on the internet." Ava sipped some of her soda.

"Where in Pennsylvania do you guys live?"

"In Altoona. Altoona, Pennsylvania where we settled in a small, old mountain home nearby."

"We live, well used to live in Texas." I rolled my eyes.

"Did you get chased out of your home in Texas?" Ava asked.

"Yes, Erasers from the school in Death Valley are always after us."

"How do they know where you are?" Adam questioned.

"Well I used to have a tracker in my arm, but had it removed by my veterinarian Mom I told you about in Arizona. One of us still has a tracker though." I glanced at the others wondering who it was.

"Do you know which one of you?" Scarlett asked concerned.

"No, but we were trying to have that checked out before we were attacked in Arizona and forced to depart there before my Mom had a chance to see." I looked down in discouragement.

"That's a problem we don't know how to solve right now." Fang said with his lips pursed.

"How 'bout I help. " Ava smiled; she put her left pointer finger on her left temple and blinked.

"Stand up Iggy; I am going to use my x-ray vision to look for a tracker in you." Ava asked politely.

"Wait! Oh, no you're not!" Iggy held up his hands in protest.

"Get your mind out of the gutter! I am not like that! I see all the way through to your skeleton." Ava was offended. She went on in her endeavor to search for the possible tracker.

"No, you don't. Sit down," she told him.

"Nudge, Angel, your turn." I gestured for them to get up for her to scan.

"Nope, none of you have it either." She declared after a minute.

"Gazzy." I nodded for him to get up, she looked likewise.

"No, he doesn't either." Ava sounded confused.

"Fang?" I requested. He got up. Ava took a whole two minutes to search him. Could she really see through flesh all the way to one's bones? Something in me wanted to believe she lied about her x-ray vision…

"Why does he take longer than any of the others to search?" I interrogated.

"Because, I think I" she stopped. Her eyes stopped on one spot.

"Yup, it's a tracker." Ava blinked and looked at me with confidence. I put my hand on my head in frustration. How were we supposed to remove that? We couldn't just go to any doctor to have it removed because we were mutant-freaks who'd be sent to Area fifty-one in an instant if doctors saw our wings.

"Max," he said.

"What are we gonna do?" I fretted.

"You can just amputate his arm." Scarlett shrugged.

"And handicap him? NO! He needs that for fighting!" I retorted.

"I know someone." Fang spoke.

"I do too! I know you, you, and you_" Gasman pointed to me, Fang, and Scarlett.

"Gasman," I laughed.

"Sorry," he cackled.

Fang ignored Gasman's humor and continued.

"They may be able to help us." He nodded.

"Where are they? Who are they?" I demanded.

"They're a blogger friend of mine. He is a surgeon her in Nebraska. I could contact him for help." Fang reasoned.

"Then let's do that!" Scarlett and I both said simultaneously.

"In fact, you can all have yourselves screened for potential trackers too." I pointed at Scarlett and her friends.

"None of us have any trackers, Ava already checked us a long time ago." Scarlett affirmed.

"Good."

"Get me a functional computer and some wifi and I'll do my stuff." He said.

"On it!" I hailed a server.

"Ah, Alex, where is the nearest hotel at with good wifi?" I inquired reading his nametag.

"Not even a block north of here there's the Wingate, the best local inn." He prided himself in the mention.

"Great! Can I have the bill please?" I requested.

"Certainly," Alex rushed off to get it.

"Max, we're not even done with our food." Fang reminded me motioning to the crap ton of food still left.

"Well chow down!" I said itching to get to the hotel to utilize the wifi. Everyone got to eating as fast as they could.

"Here's the room cards to your rooms. " I handed Scarlett and Fang cards to get into the hotel rooms we were renting. We all agreed three rooms were adequate for nine people. Nudge, Angel, Ava, and Scarlett in one room and Iggy, Gasman, and Adam in another. Fang and I claimed the smaller one (with two, separate beds if you care to know).

"Fang you get right online and contact this guy." I commanded.

"On it." He typed fiercely on the keyboard. I lay on the bed to rest up, soon enough I dropped like a stone to sleep.


	11. Chapter 11: Distrust

Chapter 11: Distrust

_**Scarlett**_

Leaves rattled as a breeze blew through the trees. I ran my fingers through my 'wind-blown' short hair relieved we were united with Max and her 'flock' and that this all wasn't a set-up for something. Fang is just as cool as he sounded in his blog, although his girlfriend Max may be problematic. Today she was kind when we met her, but tomorrow she could be a bossy control-freak. I hoped that her sense of leadership wouldn't clash with mine; Adam and Ava both respectively call ME their leader. NOT Max.

"Ava, you headed to bed?" I asked Ava stepping inside from the room's balcony, she was my BEST friend and my unbiological sister.

"No, I was gonna watch some T.V." Ava said.

"Alright, well I am as beat as can be so I am off to bed. Night." I stuck my legs under the covers and the rest of myself. I slept on my side to prevent injury to my wings. Hopefully tomorrow would be just as good as today.

_**Maximum, the next morning**_**.**

"Fang, give me your dirties!" I called, "we're doing laundry before breakfast.

"Ugh, here." he groaned pointing to his dark-colored pile of yesterday's attire and his swim trunks from swimming.

"Is that all your clothing?" I made sure we were getting it all.

"The only other change I have is in my bag." He said in his tired, weary voice sitting up.

"Is it dirty?" I inquired.

"Define your definition of dirty." He scratched his head.

"Well, you know stinky, covered in dirt and blood splotches." I clarified with a bit of sarcasm in my voice. He hesitated.

"I think it's worth washing. You can check." He slumped back in bed. I picked up his backpack and unzipped to ransack its contents. I was first greeted by the odor of sweat and stale corn nuts. Man! His bag smelled rank!

"Fang, this is BAD." I emphasized seeing his black sweatshirt (we'd just bought the other day) that was soiled. I poured out everything in the bag on Fang's bed; there was an i pod, socks, boxers, dirty pants, his bloody Black Veil Brides t-shirt, old corn nuts, used Kleenex, old hamburger wrappers, a comb, toothbrush and toothpaste, a crunched plastic water bottle, walkie talkie, and un-used deodorant.

"Hey!" He defended his backpack.

"I am throwing all this trash away and I am washing all these clothes. Plus the backpack." I sorted trash from clothes which was directly disposed of in the garbage.

"Max!" He thrashed out of bed.

"Oh, and use that!" I chucked the deodorant at him; he caught it blushing with anger.

"Think of this as a favor!" I put all my clothes and his dirty laundry in a basket provided and marched out the door for more dirty-laundry-pick-up before Fang could wrestle me for everything back.

**KNOCK KNOCK** I wrapped on the door. Nudge answered with a towel in her hair that resembled a turban.

"Here for dirties." I requested.

"Alright, give me two minutes." I waited patiently and was rewarded with TONS more laundry.

I collected laundry from Adam, Iggy, and Gazzy too and made my way to the laundry room. I began the load and returned to the room. Fang was seething with rage when I opened the door.

"MAXIMUM!" He shouted.

"What?" He ran at me. I dodged him and he missed.

"WHY'D YOU DO THAT?!" He raged.

"Alright, so it was a little compulsive; forceful even. Somebody has to do laundry!" I replied.

He sighed realizing attempting to yell at his girlfriend wasn't the wisest, he chilled out. I'd only ever seen this side of Fang when he fought.

"I apologize. Don't do it again." He exhaled. I nod and head to take a shower. A half hour later, I am back at the laundry room to dry the clothes. On my way back I stop in Iggy's room:

"Guys, hey! You want breakfast?" I ask.

"Yes," Iggy yawns.

"Okay, then go with the girls to eat in the hotel buffet. I will meet you there in a few." I move on a couple steps to the girls' room. There were three beds, I could see all were sharing beds but there pillow blockades set up for privacy. The T.V. blared as Angel stared mindlessly into it until she heard me speak.

"Hey mute that for a moment." I told her. She did as instructed.

"Sup?" Nudge acknowledging that all ears were listening.

"Breakfast at the buffet; if you want some chow then you better go now." I suggested.

"That rhymed," Ava grinned.

"It did," I realized.

"Fang and I will be there in a few." I left so I could fetch Fang. I stepped in the doorway, he turned from the sink where he was washing his face.

"Breakfast is now if you want it." I informed him

"Ahh, I wanted to update my blog." He slouched disappointed.

"Let's update that first! It shouldn't take you too long." I gestured for him to login at the computer.

"Fine." He sat down and wiggled the mouse. The monitor brightened as it came out of hibernation, Fang had already been on the computer today because the computer was already on.

"I keep getting those pathetic date requests on here." He sighed.

"Really? Still?" I made a disgusted face.

"Yeah, I am going to make a comment filter sometime to automatically delete those types of comments." He rubbed his face.

"Yeah, please." I wholeheartedly coincided.

Fang quickly updated his blog:

**xXFang's BlogXx **Entry:

Hey fellow bloggers,

AGAIN, PLEASE STOP BOMBARDING ME WITH YOUR REQUESTS TO DATE ME. MAX IS ALREADY MY GIRLFRIEND. ALL FLIRTATIOUS OR CRUDE COMMENTS ARE NOT READ BY ME AND ARE DELETED. MULTIPLE OFFENSES WILL RESULT IN ACCOUNT TERMINATION.

Yesterday we reunited with fellow mutants Ava, Adam, (two twins) and Scarlett (their leader). We introduced ourselves over a meal, and are pretty well acquainted. Ava and Adam are both thirteen, while Scarlett is almost fifteen. I haven't seen them fight, so I don't quite know what they are capable of. They are from the eastern U.S. We are all about to grab breakfast, so I hope to have more news about our next move afterwards. Be back on in an hour.

-Fang

Next, Fang uploaded groupies (pictures we took with Ava, Adam, and Scarlett at the café yesterday) from his i pod using a USB cord connecting from the computer to it.

"Do you think they'll mind their faces on the internet?" I asked concerned.

"Not at all, Scarlett actually is a follower of mine. Before we met in person yesterday she messaged me pretty often." He told me. Fang privately messaging a girl over the internet and all this time I never knew? That would sure be detrimental to our relationship.

"How come I never knew of this?" I was alarmed, maybe even offended.

"I was gonna tell you but always forgot to. We never messaged each other anything affectionate, just friendly." He spun to face me in the swivel chair.

"Who else do you know on here?" I stared at the screen suspiciously.

"Nobody that you wouldn't approve of." He clicked on his 'Friends.' Ten or more profiles popped up. He clicked on Scarlett's profile, her blog name was **Scarlett's_Life**.

There were five, lengthy blog entries and had steady population of a half million followers. I knew since she was now with us, the popularity of her page would probably sky rocket.

"Here's Scarlett's profile." He scrolled through more photos of her, Ava, and Adam.

"Nice." I mellowed out, trusting Fang. He never cheats anymore and is very true to me. There was once a red-haired girl in Virginia I caught him kissing in the school bathroom. Before that we weren't sure we loved one another, but we'd kissed on the beach when Fang had a huge gash on his abdomen and so passer-bys called the hospital. It was too late, we knew we were found out for sure. Even the FBI got on our case and asked all questions, Anne one of the agents discovered we were on our own and decided to care for us. Temporarily. There were trust issues and conflict between us, plus Erasers had found us. Bedsides, after the information we discovered at the Institute we had a lot of self-discovery to do. Nudge hacked into the computers (Did I tell you she's even better at hacking than Fang?) and printed off addresses, birthdates, and even phone numbers. We were excited as can be! Angel's mind reading was right while she had been moping in her cage at the school (before we rescued her and went to NYC) she picked up on thoughts of the white-coats there that we did have biological parents! We did some venturing, and actually found Iggy's parents. He went with them, but they turned out to be REALLY controlling and TOO protective. He ditched them came right back to us. Nudge was sort of the same way, we'd found her biological mother in trailer park home smoking outside. She looked very stressed and sleep-deprived as if she worked three jobs. Nudge wasn't attracted to living there whatsoever, so we all left. Its' difficult to recall if we ever found anyone else's parents, but who cared? We were all content with one another.

"Ready for breakfast?" I heard my stomach audibly roar. **RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWR**

"Sheesh, tell your gut to cool it." Fang stretched his arms and stumbled up. I giggled.

"My stomach has a mind of its own." I say patting it lightly twice.

"It sure is a complainer." He smiles.

"Like Nudge!" I cackle.

"Sure," Fang nods laughing just a little. He didn't find everything as funny as I found it. He puts his arm around me and we headed for breakfast.

_**Scarlett**_

"UGH! Where are they?!" I was irked at Max's tardiness to breakfast. I thought this was an important morning meeting!

"Chillax, they're coming in a few." Nudge put two food-filled plates on the booth table, we had claimed an extremely large booth for like parties. There were so many of us, but so little it seemed.

"Who's payin' for this!" I threw up my hands.

"Max will," Iggy sat next to this boy they called Gasman. What kind of name was that?

"Is she like your provider of everything or something?" I scoffed.

"Yup," Gasman nodded.

"I love Max!" Angel exclaimed, she was squirming in her seat. The littler ones were annoying. Who could find them cute? Probably Max.

"Look Scarlett! You better stop baggin' on Max. She's our leader, our sister. We don't like you talkin' smack about her." Nudge crossed her arms throwing out her left hip and gave me a sassy glare. Ava and Adam were too timid to come to my defense, they sat there like dorks doing nothing.

"Nudge, no need to go off on Scarlett. We don't need drama." Iggy spoke calmly.

"Sorry," she ate the hash browns on her plate. Iggy to her right sat sipping orange juice; I bent right over to Iggy's level and put my face into his. My eyes into his.

"I don't want to start anything between anybody." I squinted staring into Iggy's eyes. He was emotionless. Usually this kind of close encounter would scare Ava and Adam, but not Iggy.

"Do you see that I am right in your face?!" I hissed.

"I can't see you." His expression saddened.

"Huh?" I was clueless. No one told me he was blind!

"You're blind?" I stammered.

"Yes he is." Nudge snapped her finger to add affect.

"Nudge!" He rebuked her. She clearly obeyed him, she stopped instantly. Iggy explained his personal experience at the school. His testimony of the school was definitely a shocker.

"W wow," I felt remorse.

"Learned it the hard way did you?" I heard from behind. Maximum was two feet from me!

"Yeah, and she was questioning your authority to." Nudge clued her in, only enraging Max. Fang gave Max a look that said, "Don't."

"Ha! It's okay." Max patted Nudge on the head to annoy her. She scooted away from Max indignantly. Fang left Max's side for food, and she followed to get food too. The table was quite 'til they returned. It was still quiet until I spoke and broke the silence.

"What now?" I interrogated.

"What you mean 'what now'?" Iggy's eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"That was directed at Max," I coked my head looking at her.

"What's it gonna be Max? What's our next move from here, dictator?" I demanded.

"I don't know." She sighed; Fang patted her shoulder to say, "Good."

"That is why we came to breakfast together, to consult all of you." Max looked unsure of herself.

"Max, this is so unlike you." Nudge disrupted from the corner of the booth where she sat.

"We must incorporate their ideas to." Max said.

"Fang? Is Max alright?" Gasman intervened.

"Yea, she's completely in her right mind." Fang nodded.

"You want to consult me?" I looked at Ava and Adam who were still silent.

"Us?" I motioned to Ava, Adam, and I.

"All of us," Max motioned to everyone.

"Oh," I was taken aback.

"Ideas? Anyone?" Max left the air open for conversation.

"We train and wait for more mutants to join." Fang said.

"Whoa whoa! Wait? Train?" I was just so lost.

"To have the ideal mutant army we need strength and some fighting technique." Fang reasoned.

"For that to happen I need to turn you all into ninjas with super-human strength. To just charge into battle untrained with no fighting skills would be stupid." Fang explained.

"Plus strength in numbers right? We must wait on more kids like us to reply to that email." Max added. Ava and Adam really were unsure of themselves. I don't think they knew what we were really in for.

"We already have amazing abilities; let's just use what we have!" I disagreed.

"We've pulled that for years," Iggy jumped in, "that's the oldest tactic in the book." He sighed.

"We REALLY need a new approach. We'd know after our constant chase with Erasers." Nudge nodded.

"And we have one," Max said, "Let's use Fang's idea."

"I don't think Adam and Ava are cut out for this." I looked to them.

"We are!" Both exclaimed in unison. They puffed up their chests and sit up. I felt like a general with an army at my command. Perhaps Maximum really did know what she was doing.


	12. Chapter 12: Training to the Top

Chapter 12: Training to the Top

_**Max**_

"Good! Keep going girls." I encouraged. Fang had searched the net and in no time came up with calisthenics, tai chi, stretches, and varieties of other exercises to tone and strengthen everything. The girls and I were all at the hotel exercise room already breaking out a sweat.

"Ugh! Must we do this?" Nudge ran steadily on the treadmill, she had three more miles according to the LCD screen displaying her BPM and distance ran and distance to go.

"There are always the stationary bikes for two and half hours." I pointed to them.

"You wanna beat those stinkin' Erasers right?" Ava ran alongside her on a treadmill with her chest heaving. Nudge nodded

"What are we gonna do after this Max?" Scarlett asked stretching, preparing to join the others on the treadmill for a five mile jog. I was working my arms by lifting some fifteen pounders; I needed more muscle mass. Each of us took an online quiz about our current physique on some .gov site that promoted fitness. We put in our age, (five years older than we actually estimate we because of our altered genes and taller, stronger build making our bodies older-looking) weight, body type, etc. The quiz results suggested areas each of us should focus on to be well-rounded in every aspect of our musculature.

"We're gonna work our hamstrings, quads, and calves with calisthenics and do some weightlifting to exercise those biceps, triceps, and deltoids." I announced. I was the leader for our exercises today; I was training the girls. Fang was leading Adam, Iggy, and the Gasman.

"What about abdominals?" Nudge inquired.

"Tomorrow is core. Today we're focusing mainly on our legs and arms." I specified.

"What does running have anything to do with weight lifting then?" Angel was struggling to keep her pace.

"It's what's gonna give you stamina to prevent you from pooping out when we fly long distances." I watched my left bicep flex and smiled.

"How long will this take?" Angel whined.

"Awhile, hun. Patience is required results aren't instant." I turned to her.

"Can I have a water break please?" Angel begged. I eyed her the remaining distance she had left. Sheesh, she'd only run a mile.

"I will bring each of you some." I stopped and set the dumbbell down for a minute to fetch them water. There were cups and a water dispenser provided. I promptly filled four cups and delivered them to each of the girls; lucky for them they had cup holders installed on their treadmills. They all ran in silence for their remaining miles, none had extra energy to exert for talk. Good thing for me that I'd run before them because they were slow pokes getting here. Each finished one by one breathlessly shutting of the treadmill. Nudge, our diva, exaggerated a fall to the floor as she stepped off the treadmill.

"Cool down; let your heart beats settle." I handed each of the girls a cup of salty water. It did the job of Gatorade which replenished electrolytes minus all the sugar.

"Ugh! This tastes like sea water!" Nudge spit it out in the garbage can.

"Nudge, you were supposed to drink that for electrolytes!" I rebuked.

"Why not just drink Gatorade?" Scarlett cringed.

"It's got to much unnecessary sugar. Do ever see athletes in the NBA or NFL drinking it?" I say.

"Yes, they all have those massive Gatorade dispensers full of the stuff!" Nudge spoke matter-of-factly.

"They do that to keep their sponsorships. The dispensers with Gatorade's logo plastered on them have it purely for advertising and are almost always full of water containing electrolytes." I say.

"That's a lie," Scarlett chuckled.

"Google it if you don't believe me, the ESPN website even says so." I smirked sure of myself.

"Alright, it's a bet." Scarlett says.

"Five bucks," I bet, "that's what you owe me." I held out my palm beckoning.

"No, not until you show me the website." Scarlett tried me. She'd be sorely wrong. Maximum Ride never lied.

"Fine, but later." I made a mental note for later on.  
"Four more minutes to catch your breath." I walked over to the weight room to prep it for their use. I set out a ten pound dumbbell for Angel, and three fifteen pound dumbbells for Ava, Scarlett, and Nudge. For what I had in mind, everyone only needed one dumbbell each.

"Ready to start." Scarlett came stepped on the mat more sedate.

"That running took all that energy out of you?" I grinned.

"Pfft, no." Scarlett said.

"Good," I nodded twice.

"Hurry the others for me will you?" I placed the dumbbells down evenly spread apart.

"Yeah," she obeyed.

"Ava, Angel, Nudge! Over here, now!"She called aggressively. I laughed, even I was nicer.

"You really love them, huh?" I was sarcastic. Scarlett disregarded my comment. I started the girls with repetitive bicep exercises, they had to forty for each arm and a reversal of that exercise designed to flex their triceps forty times alike on each arm.

"You're all done with that?" I asked. All nodded.

"Nice, now to build those deltoids! Take your dumbbells at your side and raise them to about wear your head is." I demonstrated. Each engaged with me. They repeated twenty times with a minute break, and twenty times more.

"Y'all want a break now?" I saw that Ava and Angel were perspiring more than usual. These were good signs! I saw thumbs up and eager head nods. I let them have a minute or two.

"Next we were gonna do fifty squats and lunges."

"Come on!" Angel griped. I shrugged.

"I am gonna do it with you." I said shaking out my tense legs and shoulders.

"Time for you to feel the burn!" I exclaimed.

"Oh Lord!" Nudge wiped sweat away. I led them in our new routine; we did our exercises in unison.

"Great girls!" I cheered them on from our transition to doing lunges to squats. The squats seemed to fly by faster than the lunges. By the end all four girls flopped on the mat exhausted and exasperated at me, their drill instructor for making them exercise so vigorously.

"Are we done Max?" Angel uttered between breaths.

"Let me think about that." I said. Possibly what more could we do? I'd shown them all the exercises I knew just off the top of my mind.

"Chill while I go find Fang." I left the others to go to the pool deck where Fang was coaching the boys. Earlier they'd been in the weight room and now they were outside doing laps in the pool.

"Fang!" I yelled above the splashing.

"Yes, Baby?!" The way he addressed caused me to blush.

"I worked the girls on the treadmill for three miles and did some muscle-building exercises for their legs and arms. What more would you suggest?" I spoke loudly.

"That's quite enough for today. Let them have a half-mile walk on the treadmill for a cool down and send them to the showers. We're ready to wrap up for the day in about ten more minutes." He nodded.

"Super, see ya in a bit!" I kissed his cheek and hurried off to start the girls on their cool down.

"On the treadmills for half a mile!" I burst in the door to the exercise room.

"What! We just_" Nudge threw up her arms.

"After that you're done if you finish in less than ten minutes!"I blurted. All four girls jumped up and sprinted to the treadmills. They dialed in their distance and were off. I abruptly joined them.

"Within weeks we'll be elite girls." I piped up above the RRRRR of the treadmills. Nudge looked at Ava and Scarlett who just shrugged off the comment. It just flew over poor little Angel's head. Angel may have the body of a nine or ten-year-old, but her maturity level still matched her age (six and half years old). She's a manipulative mind-reading six-year-old with a whiny attitude at times or an angel (I wished she lived up to her name all the time). Her abilities of mind-reading even extend to mind-control; she can literally violate your freewill and mentally control you to get what she wants. I worry for her often because a child with that capability can cause issues.

** BEE BEEP** went my timer for ten minutes snapping me out of my black stare. I saw on the LCD treadmill distance display that I'd fast-walked nearly half a mile. Eh, it was sufficient enough. It was just cool down.

"Kay girls, we're done for the day!" I announced. Scarlett sighed and Angel clapped and cheered.

"What? I didn't walk half a mile!" Ava was muddled.

"Shh! Just take her word for it!" Nudge made at face Ava. I chuckled.

"I am not going to work you anymore today, we're finished." I affirmed.

"Go! Use the showers before the boys get to them! They're about done!" The girls raced off to their rooms to bathe. I giggled and went back outside to the pool deck to rest in a lawn chair; I even slipped off my shoes and leaned back to lounge.

Fang saw me and instantly he lifted me up into a hug by the pool edge.

"Hi!" I greeted him.

"I love you," he said.

"Do you?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Positive," He confirmed. I wormed my way out of his grip and pushed him into the water. I totally caught him off guard because his eyes were as wide as buffet plates as he plunged in.

"How 'bout now? Do you _still love_ me?" I teased him. He smirked. He snatched me up by my waist and threw me into the deep end. I almost landed on Iggy who was finishing up his laps. Blue bubbles gleamed around me as I sunk in shock to the bottom; the depth on this side was eight feet. I quickly paddled my way back to the surface; good thing Jeb gave us swim lessons!

"You already know I still love you!" I half-heard Fang as water flowed of my head coming above the surface.

"Ha! I hope so!" I smothered his lips with mine. Adam made a grossed out face, Iggy shrugged. For my flock this was the norm. We didn't take our relationship any further than this around them.

"To the showers!" Fang directed the boys as they exited the pool leaving the two of us behind. I looked at him, he was wearing swim trunks. I was wearing a blue t-shirt and a pair of probably to-tiny track shorts that had been doused with my perspiration before I'd been involuntarily thrown in the pool.

"You should shower!" He looked down at my soaked attire. He let go of me suddenly. All too suddenly.

"No!" I fussed.

"Max, it's almost five. These kids are gonna be starving after they shower. Come on." He beckoned for me to get out with him. UGH, priorities. I nodded taking the steps out of the pool.

"I have to tidy the pool deck, I'll be back soon." He turned to do his tasks.

I marched back alone to my hotel room in Fang's towel he let me borrow with water running off me onto the concrete making a path of puddles where I'd stepped. Better on the sidewalk than in the room on the carpet, I hated walking in mysterious wet spots on the floor. Such stigmas always made me shudder at the possibility of what they could be. I drummed on the door.

"Don't you have a hotel room card to let yourself in?" A muffled, lazy-sounding voice said through the door.

"You have the hotel room card! Just open the door for me." I spoke through the door.

"Fine," the door was opened. There stood Iggy, still wet and shirtless in swim trunks.

"What are you doing_" I started.

"Gazzy wanted to shower so we thought we'd use your shower since you were still at the pool flirting with Fang." He interrupted.

"Alright, but how did you get in? Fang is the only one out of all of us that has access to our room." I inquired still astonished to find Iggy here.

"You know me! No lock in existence can keep me out!" Iggy chuckled. I sighed recalling Iggy's talent of lock-picking.

"You could at least put a shirt on." I shoved my way past him.

"Do you like what you see?" He raised his eyebrows at me.

"No!" I avoided staring at Iggy's strapping stature.

"I am attracted to Fang and only Fang! You know that!" Iggy cackled on the floor as I cowered from the sight of him shirtless. Iggy recuperated from his laughing spell after two minutes of rolling on the floor.

"What are you doing if Gazzy is in the shower?" I investigated. I hoped Iggy was not up to mischievous things.

"Watching, well, listening to T.V. while Gasman showers. I am next." He sat back down on the wet spot on the carpet where he'd been chilling.

"Alright! But, please dry off!" I scolded him.

"Alright Mother Maximum," he teased. I smirked at his new nickname for me.

"This isn't a convent," I play along.

"Max, sorry I forgot to give you the card to the room_" Fang opened the door.

"Iggy?" Fang stopped just with the most weirded out expression ever.

"I am just waiting for Gasman to get out of the shower." He clarified to Fang.

Fang nodded sitting down at the desk to get online.

"Are you completely dry?" I bothered Fang.

"No, hand me a towel would you?" He asked. I went to the sink and grabbed a dry one, I threw it across the room at Fang. He caught it before it could hit him in the face like I intended it too.

"Thank you," he muttered taking five seconds to towel off. He then sat at the desk and dropped the towel to the floor indifferently. Whatever, I wouldn't be paying for a broken computer with water damage.

"Iggy you're up!" Gazzy came out of the bathroom dressed. Iggy nodded with a smile stepping in the bathroom. Gazzy hung his towel on the rack and was immediately allured to the T.V. His eyes were glued to it, his attention nowhere else but the screen. Gosh these kids!

"Max! Look! Another email!" Fang clicked it before I had a chance to read its heading.

It read:

Fang,

I can be of your assistance, I am in Kearney. Contact me and we can schedule an appointment. Click here for directions to my office.

-Dr. Maverick

"Yes, this is the guy I mentioned that can remove the tracker." Fang replied with vigor.

Fang replied:

Dr. Maverick,

We can make an appointment tomorrow morning at the soonest! Is tomorrow at 9:15 cool?

-Fang

"Let's show and go to dinner and check for his reply later." Fang left his inbox open and set the computer to 'Standby.'  
"Okay," I agreed.

After showers and trip to Panera Bread…

"Check your email!" I hustled Fang. Fang jiggled the cursor and aroused the computer from hibernation.

"I have a reply! Only two minutes ago too." He opened it.

Fang,

I am in my office tonight. Come on by now if you please. I am scheduled for too many surgeries tomorrow morning.

-Dr. Maverick

Fang's Response:

I don't think that'd be wise. I just ate supper, isn't that fatal to east then have an operation? Will sometime in the next few days work?

-Fang

Suddenly Fang received another message:

Fang,

What exactly did you consume?

-Dr. Maverick

Fang emailed back:

Just a light broth and a glass of water.

Dr. Maverick messaged back:

Fang,

That's it? Come on in! Liquids aren't too bad.

\- Dr. Maverick

Fang said:

Coming, we'll (Max and I) will be there within the hour!

-Fang

"Fang?" I looked at him. He was sure of this! This random guy on the internet just scheduled to do surgery this very night.

"I am not agreeing to this!" I crossed my arms protectively. We've just had too many surgeries done on us by strangers, I had a certainty that this just couldn't turn out right.

"Max, hold on before you totally say no." He pulled up Dr. Maverick's website.

"Don't worry! He's a licensed practitioner!" He gestured to the screen. I eyed it over, seemed legit to me. But just because some guy had a website didn't mean anything!

"I am warning you! This guy could belong in the loony bin you know!" I said.

"We're going!" He grabbed my arm taking control.

"Fang," I retracted my own arm, but he had my arm in a tight clenched fist that wouldn't release for anything.

"Release my arm!" I hissed.

"Okay!" He let go. I didn't like his rash choices, I saw too much of a reflection of my old self. Nobody liked old Max. Sigh.

"It's your body, but if it means your life defensive Max will come out to play." He nodded.

"Let's inform the others." I stalled him.

"Fine," He grabbed his wallet with the hotel room card and attaches it to the chain on his jeans and locks the room up. I ran next store to the girls' and boys' rooms. I knocked on the door and spieled off what Fang and I were doing. Iggy shrugged and said he'd watch Gazzy, Adam nodded engrossed in his laptop. Nudge and Scarlett were the only two who really cared enough to hound us for information.

"What are you two doing?" Scarlett was confuddled.

"I comin' too!" Nudge sprinted to a takeoff.

"Just gettin' an operation done!" I blurted. Fang was already taking to the sky in the far-off, dark part of the hotel parking lot.

"MAX! Don't leave us asking!" She called her voice growing fainter as I joined Nudge and Fang in the sky. I could see Ava running out to see what all the ruckus was. They were hopelessly dazed and confused; I couldn't leave them in such a state. I did a backwards summersault mid-flight and swooped right back in their direction.

"We're getting Fang's tracker removed by Dr. Maverick! Come if you care!" I landed and then took off again.

"Oh!" Scarlett leapt in the air and took flight. Ava tagged along. I hoped Fang and the doctor wouldn't mind their company despite what Fang told Dr. Maverick in the email. Oh well, no turning back now!


	13. Chapter 12: Part 2

Chapter 12: Part 2

_**Max**_

"Hello," the receptionist greeted us glancing (more like glaring) up from her computer.

"We're here for Dr. Maverick," I greeted the women with as much kindness as I could pull off.

"He only schedules by appointment," She stated matter-of-factly tilting her glasses and cocking her head. I stepped nearer to the desk only to be bombarded by the fumes of nail polish. Her nametag read 'Sally.'

"Well, uh," I hesitated.

"May we please speak directly with the doctor? Fang spoke assertively; if anyone could get his way it was him.

"Stay here," she got up and entered into a room behind her.

"I shouted for you guys to wait for me!" Angel burst through the door. All turned their heads to look at her. I can't believe we didn't hear Angel.

"Oh Angel! I'm sorry!" I giggled. She was panting; her hair was a rat's nest.

"Are you able to talk with Dr. Maverick?" Angel seated herself in an olive green chair in the waiting room. The place was painted simply in eggshell beige with two windows positioned next to the entrance and one near the receptionist's desk on the opposite wall.

"We're waiting right now." I sat down next to her.

"Hey what is the receptionist thinking right now?" I whispered to Angel sitting next to her.

"How could those street rats come in here and confront me like that." Angel read her mind pressing her fingers to her temples. I laughed at her response and covered my mouth as soon as I realized she was in the room again.

"Dr. Maverick will have you now." Sally spat at us.

"Thanks!" I simpered hoping she would take offense. A dude with a lab coat peered from the door behind Sally.

"Fang, Max! And who all else did you bring?" His voice faltered in seeming disappointment. He wore a white coat and formal attire underneath. I was uneasy at the sight; it brought back memories from the school.

"Ava, Angel, and Scarlett." I gestured to each while avoiding eye contact.

"Alright," Dr. Maverick said nodding.

"Through that door is the exam room. All of you except Max will have to wait out in the lobby." Dr. Maverick was firm.

"What?!" Scarlett looked offended. I gave the girl a look. When will she learn to just listen?

Probably never. Nudge sighed as did Angel; Ava sat back down in her chair patiently.

"How long could a surgery like this be?" I inquired while the doctor was in the room so they would have an idea of how long they'd be waiting.

"It could take anywhere from an hour or longer." He turned his back to the others and gave full attention to Fang and me as he led us back to the x-ray room.

"Where do think this tracker is in you?" Dr. Maverick asked.

"In my arm," Fang raised his left arm.

"Okay, put this on. It lessens radiation exposure which over time can damage living tissue."The doctor handed him a special sort of apron.

Fang obeyed. Dr. Maverick positioned Fang's arm and shot the x-ray of Fang's arm.

"Now we can view it on the monitor." Dr. Maverick pointed.

An image of Fang's humerus, radius, and ulna. There tucked between his radius and ulna was a small rectangular object; the thing that had led Jeb to us every time before. I fought a vicious urge to just rip it out of Fang's arm. I turned my eyes to Fang's expression of anger; he'd suffered the same as I had. Today it'd end; the tracker would be extracted and Jeb's one last way of hunting us down would be gone. FOR GOOD.

"Whoo, it's really lodged in there alright." Dr. Maverick's feel of confidence turned dubious.

"You can remove it can't you?" I gripped tightly to Fang's hand, his fingers tensed in mine.

Dr. Maverick zoomed in on the tracker in the x-ray image of Fang's arm to examine it closely.

He sighed shaking his head.

"I don't believe I can." He gave us the let down.

I gaped; no words to argue or protest with came to mind.

"Dr. Maverick why not?" Fang spoke for the both of us.

"Too many major arteries and tissue have grown around it. Such a surgery would be quite a gamble." He shook his head.

"Are you refusing us?" I spoke with aggression.

"Yes," he refused us softly.

"Please! We really need it gone!" I clutched Dr. Maverick's lab coat.

"Why?" He spoke with hints of vexation. I looked to Fang and then at my zipper and back at him to be advised. He gave a slight nod, and I unzipped my windbreaker and uncovering my massive wings.  
"We're not human." I partially extended my wings and retracted them. Fang copied me with his dark, black wings. The doctor narrowed his eyes and stepped nearer to study us. His movements and air of a curious scientific mind triggered memories of whitecoats at the school.

"You're friends too?"He spoke softly.

I nodded blinking calmly.

"How'd this_"

"In an isolated lab out in Death Valley; there they genetically experimented on us as fetuses." Fang gave the shortened version we always used.

"Who did this too all of you children?" Dr. Maverick seemed horrified but strangely enthused too by what science did to us.

"A guy named Roland ter Bocht and his associate Jeb Batchedler were the head of the Angel Experiment." The doctor simply shook his head in disbelief.

"Because of the tracker they put in Fang's arm their mutant forces continually chase us down and attack." I clarified.

"That is why we need for Fang to have this surgery." Silence fell on us.

"I am not liable." Dr. Maverick put his hands up in defense starting for the supply room to prepare. I nodded rolling my eyes.

"Yes." Fang responded smiling and laughing. I gleamed and hugged him happy that the doctor was still going through with it.

"Come into the operating room!" Dr. Maverick called from where he was. We both entered in and Fang lied down on the operation table.

"Fang," Dr. Maverick smirked, "time for the sedatives."

"Yes! My favorite part!" I jumped up and down like a little girl.

"Ugh," Fang griped.

"You may feel funny and get a little loopy, but that's normal." Dr. Maverick's hands had gloves on them. He carefully spotted a vein and cleansed Fang's skin with alcohol swab and drew an X over the area of the tracker. Fang jerked the instant Dr. Maverick inserted the needle. The sedatives hit Fang suddenly like a train wreck. Fang's eyes grew less and less alert with the BEEP of his BPM on the heart rate monitor.

"Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaax," he cooed my name.

"What?" I said.

"You you look magical." He smiled as he conked out.

"Wow, the drugs kicked in fast." Dr. Maverick said putting on a surgical mask.

"I can't wait until he wakes up!" I clapped.

"Are you squeamish?" Dr. Maverick asked.

"No. I've seen more blood, dead bodies, and innards than you ever did in medical school." I sat down near the operation table sure of myself.

The surgeon chuckled proceeded in his work with a surgical resection knife by making an incision right over the marks of the approximate spot of the tracker.

_**Scarlett**_

"Stupid doctor made us wait," I muttered.

"I bet they're almost done just relax." Ava attempted to soothe my spirits.

"I play the winner!" Ava was engaged with Angel's and Nudge's tic-tac-toe tournament.

"Ah! Cat's game." Nudge scribbled out the tic-tac-toe board and restarted. I wasn't gonna watch their dull games. I flipped through the outdated magazines lying around on the coffee table. I glanced at a cooking magazine, all the photos inside did was torment my hunger. Despite that I'd already eaten, the chicken calzone made my stomach growl.

"So yummy," I muttered catching Nudge's attention while Ava and Angel faced off at a game of tic-tac-toe.

"Iggy makes a mean calzone. You should have him cook it for you sometime." Nudge attempted to converse with me.

"Cool," I straightened the folding corners of the magazine and read on. The recipe for the calzone was pretty simple. Maybe I could imagine myself eating it in my head to pass the time.

"Sorry about the other day and stuff." Nudge went on. Man, she just didn't know when to shut up.

"I wasn't offended in the first place." I said indifferently.

"Well, I was by the way you spoke about Max." She seemed expectant of something and now she had my attention.

"Sorry," I tried to ignoring her to read. Nudge shook her head reluctantly.

"What were you expecting?" I asked defensively.

"Just for a heart-felt apology." She said WITHOUT sass. I blinked shocked at her words. I even felt a tid bit moved at her friendliness.

"I…" I couldn't continue. What was there to be said?

"You are sorry." Nudge smiled. I angled my head in confusion.

"I see it in your eyes; you just don't how to verbalize it." Her eyes glinted in the light.

"You were never taught how too." She concluded.

"Sometimes there are those who learn these things a little bit later in life." She kept smiling.

"Let's call it a truce and be friends." Nudge held out her hand. I took it, and she pulled me into an unsettling hug. I froze up all tense.

"Affection is so foreign to you isn't it?" Nudge chuckled.

"Yeah, I think." I slowly enclosed my arms around Nudge. This stuff was weird.

_**Maximum**_

"Doctorrr?" Fang opened his eyes.

"Yes Fang, you just woke up. The tracker is gone." Dr. Maverick finished bandaging his arm in gauze and set his tools aside to have them sterilized. Fang spasmodically flopped his other arm against the operation table.

"WEEEEEEE!" He just found so much joy in the flailing of his arm. God, I wished I had a camera to film him with.

"Fang," I got his attention.

"Is your arm fun to play with?" I teased him.

"Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeah," he responded.

"Fang! Where's your belly button?" I have no self-restraint with these sorts of things.

"HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERE!" He thumped his pointer finger over his abdomen

"Is it an innie or outie?" I continued.

"Hmmmmmmmm. I…" He stopped looking dazed for a moment.

"I don't know! It feels like pressing a button!" He pressed his pointer finger on his belly button repeatedly. I was giggling like Angel.

"Hey Fang! Do you love me?" I asked.

"Of course hot stuff." He smiled like a dope and made a cat call. At this point my side hurt from laughing.

"Max, that's enough." Dr. Maverick chuckled. Even his edge of professionalism was slipping.

"The drugs will wear off within a few hours. Sleep will come easy tonight with all the pain he's in.

"Alright, can he walk or fly?" I inquired.

"Yes, in a while."

"Can you let the others in here?" I sat in the chair near Fang.

"Sure." Dr. Maverick went to let the others in the room. I sat on the bed next to Fang and held his hand.

"It's just you and me now." He said in low tone.

"Ahh, yeah what are you suggesting?" I questioned.

"I was just going to ask for a hug." He grinned. I gave him a hug; he picked me up in his arms.

"Whoa! You're strong." He cradled me like a baby as he lay in bed with his IV still in.

"Are you sure I am not hurting your bandaged arm?" I caressed it.

"If it's in pain I can't feel it." He shrugged and I chuckled.

"You'll really feel it tomorrow." I said.

"Yeah, I may." He put me down when he heard footsteps. I quickly got off the bed and sat down in the chair again.

"Max! Max! I beat Nudge at tic-tac-toe five times!" Angel cavorted over her victory. I smiled going from Max mode to mom mode.

"Sheesh, she was no match for you at all!" I praised Angel.

"It wasn't fair she read my mind!" Nudge retorted.

"You know never to play games with Angel." I admonished.

"Especially poker, she'll win the jackpot every single time." Scarlett reasoned.

"What's poker?" Angel asked.

"It's a card game where you gam_" Ava began.

"Don't." I put up my hand to stop Ava.

"It's not even worth teaching her." I said.

"Is Fang still loopy?" Scarlett smirked.

"Sorta, it's wearing off now. You should've been here five minutes ago." I laughed recalling all the idiotic stuff Fang did.

"Ahh," Scarlett slumped.

"Fang!" I snapped my fingers. He was entranced a by fly buzzing around.

"Are you well enough to go back to the hotel?"

"Huh, oh yeah. Dr. Maverick!" He called which was SO unlike him. He usually left that to me.

"I am right here." He said politely.

"Can you remove my IV? I need to get back to where we're staying and rest." Fang rubbed his eyes.

"Yes, but wait an hour before you go." He said removing the IV.

"Why?" Fang was already standing.

"How are you able to stand up? The drugs take hours to dissipate." He was confused by Fang's ability.

"Our kind rejuvenates quickly." I stood with Fang and all replicated my move getting the cue that we were about to go.

"Wait! Do any of you need help? Should I call somebody?" Dr. Maverick offered.

"NO!" I instinctively replied.

"Sorry, but if people are around us things get unsafe."

"Are you sure? I_"

"She's positive." Fang spoke stopping it just as he did with Khinara and Jim.

Dr. Maverick sighed.

"Okay then."

"Here is you're form of payment." Fang handed the doctor a wad of moola. He must've made a trip to the ATM to get all that.

"Thank you, but I wasn't expecting anything." Dr. Maverick tried handing the money back.

"It's not my money anymore!" Fang put his hands up grinning.

"It's yours doc. Have a good night." Fang led the way out. I was joyful to leave snobby Sally behind and fly back with not only my flock, but Scarlett's too.


	14. Chapter 13: Don't Back Down From the Fig

Chapter 13:Don't Back Down From the Fight

_**Max**_

"That's good girls! Go back to your rooms and rest tonight." I spoke loudly seeing them falter around like drunks. I'd REALLY worked them today.

"Thank you oh merciful Max!" I heard Scarlett shift from off the matt where she'd been doing an abdominal routine to sit on the window sill of the large, open windows that permitted optimal sunlight most hours of the day inside the gym. Ava, Nudge, and Angel shuffled off to the room to shower while Scarlett and I linger for a bit longer.

"Will you please help me put the weights away to make the place look shipshape?" I requested.

"Alright," she agreed as she stowed the dumbbells back on their rack.

"Thanks," I said as my breathing calmed from today's workout.

"Sure," Scarlett smiled.

"Tonight Fang and I are calling a meeting. Would you mind informing the Iggy and the boys on your way back?" I asked of her for a small favor.

"Yeah," she gulped the remaining water from her cup and crumbled it before disposal.

"Good, see you in about an hour for dinner." I waved with my right hand clutching my I pod in my left as I started at a slow pace to the room.

"Fang?!" I called as I entered in the somewhat tidy room. There was no reply, all I heard was the subtle, soft noise of water running from the shower faucet.

"Oh," I realized Fang couldn't hear me. I threw my i pod on the bed I called mine (for now). I sat at the computer desk and clicked; the monitor responded and brightened to life. There on the screen was on Scarlett's blog or **Scarlett's_Life**:

Hey fellow readers,

Today was MORE training. I know that's all I seem have been posting about lately, but that's all that's been we've been doing so far. I know you're sick of the same old thing on all my posts. Max called a meeting tonight so I think Fang and Max have something to important to say tonight. Who knows… Too bad I don't call shots around here. :/ I will update you all first as always if there happened to new developments. Thanks for sticking with me.

-S.

That was what Scarlett blogged about? She seemed bored with our rigorous training, but I'll be honest that I was too. And the way she wished she could "call shots" had me wondering if she was still trying me about my authority; I sighed. Man, this leading stuff wasn't easy. Especially when all people do is question you with questions like: "What's our next move?" or "Why are we doing this?" At times (more like most of the time) even I didn't have answers. What did we REALLY stand for? I am at least glad Fang always seemed to have an idea of a direction or an objective.

"Hey? You peeking at Scarlett's blog?" Fang spoke from behind my back.

"Oh! I was totally unaware of you standing there." I jumped. Fang chuckled.

"What'd she say?" Fang inquired.

"Just how she's sick of training and was excited to hear what we're about to say to the flock." I summarized her most recent blog post that I'd just read. Fang nodded reading for himself.

"Nice," he closed the page and powered down the computer.

"Hey! Why'd you turn it off?" I asked.

" 'Cause Max we've got to get the others for dinner. Let's go." He slipped on his already tied shoes and beckoned me to get ready as he quickly ran a comb through his hair.

"I gotta shower! I stink almost as bad as Gasman's farts." I sprinted for the bathroom I realized I forgot to grab a change of clothes as I stripped down. _Oh well,_ I thought, _I am already nude. _I turned on the water and bathed briskly.

"Come on Max!" I heard Fang through the door.

"Okay!" I replied washing all the sweat and stench away from my body and hair. I got out of the tub and fumbled for a towel and found a dry and hopefully clean towel folded on top of toilet. I wrapped it around myself and opened and opened the door to ask Fang for my backpack.

"Fang! Hey! Can you fetch my bag? It contains my clothes!" He grinned seeing me in my towel.

"Yes," he turned for my backpack and handed it to me.

"You know you look pretty sexy in_" He started.

"Not now! I'm in a rush?" I slammed the door and unzipped my bag scrambling to get some clothing on. I manage a green striped tank top with a cool bird on it, light-wash shorts, and to top it off flip flops. Yup, my fashion sense.

"There," I zipped up my bag and slung over my shoulder, "I look presentable for society." I glance at my reflection of my messy hair and tired eyes in the mirror; I quickly brushed my hair. Meh.

"Okay," I dropped my backpack by my bed and headed for the door in step with Fang.

Everyone was gathered sitting in a booth at the hotel all-you-can-eat buffet-style dinner. I had peaches with tons of whipping cream and a spoon in front of me. I bet you I could down it in several seconds. Fang had pizza. The others had dished up platefuls of everything served at the buffet. The good thing about buffets is there was no limit to the quantity of food you could consume, perfect for my flock of hungry beastlings.

"So," Scarlett tried to begin the much anticipated meeting. "So" was such a clichéd conversation starter that instantly I knew she was hot to talk. I smiled at Scarlett and looked to Fang who hadn't taken the first bite of his pizza.

"Don't be impatient, we all need a minute or to chillax. Today was a difficult day of training." I spoke for my weary flock. Scarlett nodded empathetically. I had detected that she was making an effort to be more curious and cooperative lately, like she was giving me a chance or something. There was about a minute and a half silence as we all chowed down. Recently, Fang had us all on strict diet of fruits, salads, chicken, rice, whole grains, and absolutely no unnecessary sugars. Tonight though, there was no fuss over food. We all ate what we wanted. I craved peaches with whipped cream. Strangely I wasn't all that hungry.

"Now, I believe you all know why Max and I called for a meeting." Fang took the talk into his own hands. I trusted him, so I let him go ahead. Everyone exchanged confuddled looks; clearly they all had no clue.

"I guess not," Fang said. I smirked because he was just TOO quiet sometimes. He assumed everyone knew and didn't bother to explain things thoroughly and ask if anyone had trouble comprehending. Well, I knew Scarlett knew what Fang meant. She was so attentive that if she had ears they'd stick up in intent manner.

"Three weeks ago Scarlett, Ava, and Adam all arrived. I promised to make you all the very best you can be. Why? To fight ter Bocht and his whitecoats of course!" Fang spoke with a certain fury in his voice at this part.

"But now you all seem stand at a point of uncertainty with where we're headed with this. I need to know from every one of you if you're still all in."

"I trust you!" I blurted. I should, I'm his girl friend after all. Who else could I trust?

"You've always had my back, and I'll always have yours." Iggy nodded.

"Yeah!" Gazzy agreed and Angel nodded.

"I have faith in you." Nudge gave a thumbs up.

"How about those of you who aren't a part of my flock?"

Ava looked to Scarlett for approval, as did Adam. Everyone's eyes were fixed on Scarlett.

"Yes." Scarlett spoke. Ava and Adam both nodded.

Fang nodded, "I hope you were sincere with your answers because our next move will require your utmost loyalty. Max and I command this army_"

"Now wait a second! I am in charge of Ava and Adam!" Scarlett interrupted Fang.

"You just agreed that we're in charge." I spoke calmly pointing to Fang and me.

"Fang's invitation for us to meet was to team up not to have you lord your authority over us!" Scarlett resisted.

"How do you govern us anyway? I thought this was a democracy!"

"It's actually more like a republic," Nudge tried to be technical, "Max and Fang are like our elected leaders that represent us."

"I never elected them!" Scarlett persisted.

"You've both got it wrong! It's a Maxocracy!" I was mad now. Fang put his hands up to stop our argument.

"Stop." We all respected Fang so we obeyed him.

"We are open to opinions and suggestions, but when it's all said and done Max gets the final say." Fang looked to me.

"I am only advising her really." Fang confessed.

"You're all able to give suggestions as I have." There was a bitter silence.

"Fine." Scarlett gave in. I picked at my peaches. Fang stared at Scarlett for a minute and then remembered his pizza and ate it.

Fang finished his and sipped on some soda, "Tomorrow we leave for Death Valley."

"What?!" I choked on the bite of peaches I'd taken. My reflexes caused me to cough. Nudge beat on my back.

"Breathe!" She commanded.

"Thanks." I thanked her.

"Why?" Iggy spoke for me.

"We're going to kill Jeb! This is what we've been planning and preparing for!" Fang was furious.

"Shhh!" I noticed stares.

"One doesn't just kill Jeb. You know he has Erasers and Flyboys for bodyguards right?" I reminded Fang.

"Listen, I'm not done. We let all the mutants loose from their cages and allow them to fight with us!" Fang seemed to think it was just that easy.

"Do you really believe those untrained, malnourished kids will really have the strength to fight?" I looked at Fang. He slouched realizing the flaw in his thinking.

"What else do we do? Hasn't Fang tried contacting all the mutants you know?" Scarlett pointed out.

"Yeah, I have." He flipped his hair, "none have replied to the email except you."

"There must be a reason they aren't responding by now." Scarlett narrowed her eyes.

"What?" I say.

"The other mutants you released from the Institute may still not be free." Scarlett replied.

"They could've been kidnapped by Erasers or Flyboys and are unable to contact us for help." Nudge clarified.  
"Yeah, you don't exactly have computer access from inside a cage." I was reminded.

"We're ready to attack! But we just don't know where." Iggy identified the problem.  
"I've got an idea. Let's meet in Max's and my room and do some research. Everyone bring a laptop or tablet."

Everyone nodded, quickly finishing their food.

"What are we researching specifically?" Ava asked pulling up the Google homepage. There were kids with laptops and and i pads in their laps all around the room. The boys were sitting against the wall, Fang was at the computer desk, and Ava was reclining on the bed with Scarlett next to her peering at her screen. Nudge was in a cushioned chair by the bathroom.

"Search for the keywords 'Itexicon,' 'ter Bocht,' 'Jeb Bledetcher,' or 'Angel Experiment' and see what comes up." Fang directed us.

"Let the search begin." Nudge cracked her knuckles before typing. Hacking networks or computers was her calling. The nine of us were occupied with our search for answers; the room was luminous with the light of the screens. It was quiet for quite some time.

"Ooooh!" Nudge exclaimed.

"Huh?"

"I hacked the email of one of the directors of Itex. I am going through emails in his inbox right now!" Nudge looked mischievous. Could she hack my social media? I hoped she never would.

"Whoa!" Fang peered over Nudge's computer.

"OMG! The email says there's going to be a meeting of top Itex directors at the Head Quarters in Victoria B.C. in Canada." Nudge announced.

" 'In response to the recent loss of the Itexicon's finest experiment, the Angel Experiment. Head CEO Ter Bocht and Co-Executive Manager Jeb Bladetcher have called for you to be present on May 30th of this year for a meeting on new security procedures and protocols…' "

"That's in a week." I calculated the days until May 30th.

"Who's up for a trip to Canada?" Fang asked.

"ME!" I yell.

"Yes! HOCKEY!" Gasman shouts and high fives Iggy.

"I'm for it." Nudge nodded.

"Okay," Angel coincided.

"It's almost as suicidal as attacking the school in Death Valley because I bet that place is surveillanced and has more security than the White House." Scarlett reasons.

"Yes, but just think! We have Jeb and ter Bocht both in one place; we can kill them both and maim the whole Itex cooperation if all goes right!" Fang rationalized.

"If," Scarlett emphasized.

"Everything has an 'if' in life! You just got to learn to take risks!" Iggy piped up.

"Yeah! And that's comin' from the blind guy!" I backed Iggy.

"Scarlett, come on." Adam spoke for the first time around me today.

"We persevered all this training and now you're gonna back down from a perfect opportunity?"

"Fang has taught us all the martial arts he knows, we're at least five times stronger than grown men, and you don't think we can take a bunch of whitecoats?" Ava interjected.

"I guess you may be right." Scarlett hesitated.

"NO! You know we're right." I said.

"You are," she paused, "I'm in."


	15. Chapter 14: Fun Times Sabotaged

Chapter 14: Fun Times Sabotaged

_**Max**_

"Max! Max! Max!" I heard Scarlett call from underneath a couple clouds. I yanked out an earbud throwing of my cadence of wing strokes per minute. The music's tempo is what I was synchronizing the beat of my wings to. I only wanted to focus on flight, not Scarlett's irritating questions that I'd been through one thousand times with her. I sighed.

"What?!" hollering above the wind roaring around me.

"You're positive that we have good chances and advantages in our attack right?" Scarlett flew near my side a little below me out of my grasp; she probably sensed that I wasn't far from clobbering her. Good idea on her part there.

"Did you think of the Flyboys and Erasers? How do you plan on taking them?"

"God! If you don't shut up! Oooh, it ain't gonna be pleasant!" I finally freed the anger that was boiling over inside me. I had to escape her and her constant questions before I hurt her. I dove downward though some clouds that would hopefully hide me from her view.

_Don't be mean Max. Would you treat any of us like that? _Angel the six-year-old gave me some of my own advice.

_No._

_Good, now just show her some respect._ Angel counseled me. I placed my ear bud back in my ear. I was grateful Scarlett got the cue.

Everyone flew on in a serene silence for several hours at their own speedy pace. Some were slower (cough, Adam and Ava) but all others were increasingly faster with Fang, of course, at the front of formation. I flew near him a majority of the way and away from the flock, alone too. Our arrival was timely to our stop for the day. A tiny town, no, not even a town. A farming community called Gross. There were scarcely any options for supper; the kids took a vote to stop at Cougar Mountain Lodge. It won with no other opposition up against it. That's how small Gross was.

"I hope the food isn't gross in Gross." Gasman set both feet on the ground retracting his wings to land.

"There's no telling in a town like this." Fang muttered as he sped ahead a few feet and touched down.

"It looks pretty here." Nudge admired the surrounding alpine trees and hills.

"It is." Ava agreed nodding. Adam looked around; I did the same except that I was searching for exits if we had to flee all of a sudden. If you're Maximum Ride you just never know. ;)

"I hope it is high-calorie. Flying like the way we are requires adequate energy from the calories we consume." Scarlett said from behind. It was the first time she spoke in hours. I was just going to ignore it; I had a feeling that was the best for the both of us at this moment.

"Max, you_" Scarlett started again.

"I wouldn't recommend talking to her at this moment." Fang suggested. Scarlett frowned and her eyebrows furrowed. I mouthed, "thank you" at Fang. He nodded twice and clutched my hand and we walked in unison to the restaurant.

I scratched my head at the burger before me. It appeared average, but smelled strange. Sort of an oniony, stinky stench –a fetor almost- emanated from it. Perhaps the onions that were an ingredient in the burger had spoiled. Did the FDA bother to send inspectors to restaurants so sequestered out in the boonies like this one? The thought probably never occurred to them to dispatch one to this place.

"Is anyone else leery about what they ordered?" I stabbed at my order and oil seeped from inside it.

"Uh, yeah. It's like as bad as Max's cooking or worse." Iggy coincided poking at his fries.

"The soda seems fine." Adam took a sip; Ava nodded once setting her drink down after a sip. I took a sip and nodded.

"I really should have read the reviews of this place." Fang said. If Fang was spectacle that really meant something.

"Why didn't you?" Scarlett spat.

"I am not hungry Max." Angel cowered away from her food as if afraid of it.

"Can we eat elsewhere?" Nudge's top lip was raised in disgust. I nodded dropping a tiny tip to the table as we left. I felt bad for wasting food, but… Was it even food? None of us knew and we didn't want to investigate. The only thing anyone bothered to take was their beverage. Those were okay I guess.

We all took to the field and flew off.

"There! Subway!"Gazzy spiraled for the ground, the others followed on impulse. There was no controlling these kids when it came to food.

"High-calorie cuisine is a good call." I praised Gasman who was mystified by the menu. I could tell he was gonna get at least two foot-long sandwiches. Who knew how many Iggy would down…

"I'll start with Chicken &amp; Bacon Ranch Melt and Black Forest Ham each a foot-long. Oh, and two foot-long Meatball Marinaras with a fountain drink, three cookies, and four bags of chips." Iggy glanced over the menu. The clerk was gawking as she struggled to write it down; she wasn't half done.

I gandered at the menu. Nothing sounded pleasing, so I would have to customize my sandwich. What to get….

"I'll take all the works on a foot-long on Italian bread. Plus one Meatball Marinara including bacon and a Turkey Italiano Melt both a foot long." I said.

"That it for you?" The clerk or 'Shauna' as her nametag read.

"No! Add a water to that plus five chocolate chip cookies and a bag of chips." I ordered.

"Alright," Shauna continued to track our orders on her notepad.

"Next?" She continued. Adam put up his hand.

"I'll take four Meatball Marinaras, a fountain drink, and five bags of chips." Adam seemed sure of what he wanted.

"Ooh! Ooh! I want three Chicken &amp; Bacon Ranch Melts each a foot-long. And four bags of chips and ten cookies!" Gazzy's eyes beamed as he said cookies.

"Plus a fountain drink for him." I added.

"That it?" I inquired to Gasman.

"Yup." He grinned.

"Good boy! You didn't order too much." I rubbed his head affectionately. The sugar in those ten cookies would keep him going all night.

"Let's see! I'll take a Double Chicken Chopped Salad. A Veggie Delite and two Turkey Breast sandwiches. Make them both foot-longs_"

"Nudge, get more carbs. Vegetables have like no calories! You don't have to eat like a model." I commented.

"Okay, now add a Meatball Marinara to that, fountain Drink, two cookies, and two bags of chips."

"That adequate?" Nudge turned to me for approval.

"Barely. You're skinny on the carbohydrates. Stay away from salads on trips where we travel tons."

Nudge nodded.

"Gatorade, two Meatball Marinaras, Italian B.M.T., Steak &amp; Cheese all a foot long. Two bags of chips and three cookies." Scarlett nodded as she stated of her order.

"I want two foot-long Meatball Marinaras, a cookie, three bags of chips, and soda pop!" Angel larked about.

"Four Chicken &amp; Bacon Ranch Melts, and a Steak and Cheese. All a foot long. Bottled water and three cookies." Fang spoke his order.

"Ava," my head turned to direct her, "your turn to order." She was still reading the menu and seemed indecisive.

I rolled my eyes. Someday over the rainbow she'd order.

"Ugh. A repeat of the last order plus a fountain drink." Simple. Probably just made her life easier. Shauna's notepad had five pages of chicken-scratch covering it.

"Alright. It will be an hour or two." Shauna smiled probably mentally wanting to make an obscene gesture towards us.

I nodded.

"Can we come back for the order?" I queried.

"Yes." Shauna replied.

"Good. Come on kids! Let's go bowling!" Everyone clapped and cheered.

"Do you think she'll actually make all those sandwiches?" I asked Fang.

"I hope," Fang shrugged chuckling, "we'll see in an hour." The gang with me at the lead found a field behind Subways and took off.

"Whoo! Bowling!"Angel shouted.

"Max? Where are we bowling?" Scarlett called over the kids.

"Uh, right there!" I pointed to a place dubbed Bo's Bowling Alleys. How convenient. We darted for the dark parking lot and charged the entrance.

"Hello! Welcome to Bo's Bowling Alleys! Will you have two lanes to occupy nine people tonight?" the clerk eyed over our large group.

"Yes," I replied.

"How many games?" Rob our clerk asked.

"One is good." Fang pulled out the debit card and put it on the desk.

"Alright." Rob scanned Fang's credit card. You may all rent shoes over there. Rob pointed to the shoe bar and returned our debit card to Fang.

"Yes!"

"Haha! Another strike!" Iggy bragged from his lane where he competed against Ava, Nudge, and Angel on the girls team and high-fived Gasman and Adam on his team.

"Yeeah! I double g-g-y spells IGGY!" I chanted clapping and laughing. Of course I got stares, but come on none of us were normal.

"He's so arrogant." Scarlett glared.

"Hey! He has a right to. You try scoring a strike blind." I defended Iggy my left wing man (the honor of my right wing man was taken by Fang). Scarlett was silent as she stood up and strode over for her turn to bowl. Fang tapped me on the shoulder and grinned at me. I clutched his hand and kissed him on the cheek and continued in watching the game. It was Scarlett's third time to bowl. She picked up her bowling ball the proper way and inhaled silently to herself and all in one motion released the ball. She, I, and Fang watched her scarlet (I swear that's no coincidence, she really has a thing for that color) bowling ball tumble directly down the alley and smash seven pins to the ground.

"I am not blind, but I just want you to know that I can still make a simple strike too." Scarlett winked at me. I gave her a thumbs up and sarcastic smile. Fang tapped me once on the shoulder.

"Max. You're up." Fang nodded to the screen that highlighted my name indicating it was so. I got up, got my ball, and bowled my baby blue ball and likewise watched it roll towards the pins which instantaneously all flew back on impact.

"And so can I!" I retaliated Scarlett's comeback. Scarlett rolled her eyes. The only obvious thing we would ever have shared is downright loathing for each other. I sighed sitting back down with Fang who just chortled. At me or Scarlett?

"What's so funny?" I shot back up.

"You two and your petty bickering is like a pathetic reality show. Just calm down both of you." Fang smiled. I exhaled slowly and sat down again as he got up to bowl. I crossed my arms and watched Fang bowl, but felt Scarlett's eyes pelting me. I looked to her, and they were. I ignored them; I wouldn't let her steal my attention from watching my boyfriend bowl. His ball was already rolling down the lane and continued until he hit five pins. He was up again to attempt a spare. Fang aimed his grey ball with prestige to the left where the remaining pins were positioned. He swung low at a curve and let go.

"SPARE!" I jumped up as soon as his ball hit the pins.

"Max, tone it down." He elbowed me sitting down with a smile.

"How can I?" I winked.

Scarlett was up to bowl. I could tell by her haughty stride she was irritated. Not me. Why would I let her spoil my night? I glanced at Fang contently watching the game and did the same.

"I apologize. I think you and I take stupid stuff like this too personally. This can't be good for our relationship." I apologized to Scarlett as our group headed to the exit.

"It's fine now. I just get overly angered and aggressive." She smiled for the first time this evening.

"Me too," I laughed and smiled back.

"Those are old arcade games." I observed as we passed through a miniature arcade right near the exit.

"Yeah, check it out they have Pac Man." Scarlett said.

"And a Wizard pinball machine from like 1975." Adam fingered the controls.

"Whoa! Now that's archaic." Ava chuckled.

"How come all of you know a lot about arcade games and such?" I asked.

"In Pennsylvania where Scarlett, my sister, and I used to live there was an arcade down the street from our house. We went quite often." Adam explained.

"Aren't arcades like almost extinct now due to gaming consoles that are played at home?" I asked.

"Ha! No, they're still around because of people like us who have interest retro gaming."

"Hmm. Cool." I turned to the door knowing our Sub. Sandwiches were probably ready.

"We're gonna stick around and play a bit. We'll meet you at Subway in awhile." Adam pulled spare change out of his pocket.

"Okay, please no more than half an hour." I reasoned.

"May I stay too?!" Gasman begged. I paused.

"I can watch him." Scarlett offered.

"Fine." The rest of my flock and I were out.

Five of us entered into Subway with insatiable appetites expectant of food. Nudge sat down and waited for Fang to pay. I was starving and was about to keel over.

"Hello," Shauna made sure all our food was accounted for before we paid for it. I saw that there were two other employees on staff both wrapping up sandwiches; she probably called her manager for more help. She swiped the debit card and waited as her computer processed the transaction that took several seconds. She shook her head like something wasn't right. She swiped the card again.

"Sir, uh your card was declined." Shauna was skeptical.

"Wha_?"

"The computer says your account has been closed." The clerk was stern in her words and expression as she dropped the debit card into Fang's hand. Fang's arm shook as he reached for his wallet in his back pocket. Fang set cash on the counter. The clerk counted the money.

"This is still insufficient. You're one hundred dollars short." She said after a minute. Fang nodded.

"I will have the money shortly."Fang headed out the building without telling me why. I jumped up after and Angel nudged me.

_Fang wanted you to know he'd be back with Scarlett and the others in five minutes._ Angel thought.

_Okay_, I thought back. We waited for an eternity very tensely. I shut my eyes dreaming of any other alternate scenario than this. Our debit card ALWAYS came through. Why not now?

"Here," Fang handed the adequate money to Shauna awakening me from my daze.

"Thank you!" She smiled (only because she was paid probably). We were presented with our food. Everyone was energized at the thought of food as they boosted over to the fountain with their cup. I sighed thinking, _it was just a stupid error. Their computer was just defunked._ I sipped my water relaxing. I tore away at the packaging on one of my sandwiches and dug in. All were quiet had full concentration on their meal.

"Good night! Thank you so much!" I waved at the employees and was polite for everyone else who were ahead of out the door. Scarlett, Adam, and Ava probably knew of the erroneous transaction. Fang had probably asked for their money promising to reimburse back. They clearly had to come through in this situation, if not authorities would've been contacted. I am glad everything was smoothed over for the moment.

"Fang_" I began.

"I don't know why the card didn't work Max!" Fang was angry in his tone of voice.

"I am stopping at an ATM to see what's up." Fang muttered diving through the thin night air to a bank below us with me following on impulse. Everybody flew behind the two of us sensing that we needed a privacy to talk. Boy did we ever. Fang beat his wings with a certain fury I could tell was pure vexation at this uncontrollable situation.

"I'm right behind you!" I shouted.

Fang's neck cords were accentuated as he dialed in numbers forcefully and swiped the debit card. The ATM screen showed that the account was indeed closed meaning the card was worthless. Whatever or whoever funded the account had discontinued it completely. Our means for money was obliterated like it had never existed.

"Back to dumpster diving." My head dropped. We were at THAT level again.

"UGH!" Fang gripped the ATM and shook it until it rattled with all its mechanical parts inside clanking around like pennies in a tin can.

"Does being violent and destructive really solve problems? That's how you both seem to handle things and that is not how I taught you." I whipped around on impulse to such a terribly familiar voice. There stood Jeb crossing his arms shaking his head.

"NOT YOU!" I hissed like a cat hollering at the top of my lungs. Jeb chuckled.

"You two remind me of a bunch of children throwing a tantrum get what you want."Jeb scoffed smirking.

"You're not much different! We are just in what we do –ridding this world of criminals like you-" Fang stormed over volatile with hostility. I gritted my teeth and tensed. I sprinted and tackled Jeb; the man I loathed most. Cold metallic arms ripped me off Jeb and thrashed me onto the concrete. Another force clubbed my head with a heavy object that split skin causing capillaries to rupture and spurt blood. Those blasted Flyboys.

"Max!" Fang's shout was drowned out by a piercing pain.


	16. Author's Appreciation Note

To all my fabulous Fans:

Your comments are one of the things I live for. I really smile when you review. Thank You! I am just trying to write Maximum Ride as it should be. Just like the good old days when the first books were debuting!

I love you all!

-HumanAvianHybridsRock

Do any of you have social media? If so just shoot me a PM if you don't mind. I'd love to follow you.


	17. In Reply to Reviews

In reply to reviews:

From: Guest

"More max and fang fluff"

**My Reply:**

"**I'll see what I can do ;)"**

From: Guest chapter 4 .

"This is such a great fanfiction! My favorite character is Iggy, and the way you made his personality basically matched his personality is the book series! I love how you made a story introducing all the characters of the flock too! I hate the books where they only feature parings like Fax or Eggy... You don't see too much of these fanfictions now...  
You should make a fanfic about the flock going to highschool! Without featuring parings though... But that would be awesome! Anyway... I just wanted to say that this is an amazing fanfiction and you did such a good job on writing it!"

**My Reply:**

"**I really love your review. It's descriptive. ;) I will contemplate a fanfiction featuring the flock going to high school. Maybe it could be select scenarios instead of a story with a central plot. IDK yet. Lastly, what are 'parings'? I am not sure what that means."**

Bookwriter16 chapter 11 .

"Awesomeness I really do not like Scarlett right now but this is awesome"

Bookwriter16 chapter 10 .

"Plz write more this was awesome"

Bookwriter16 chapter 9 . "Yay I have waitin for this chapter for forever!"

Bookwriter16 chapter 8 .

"I love how u brought the blog back!perfection!"

**My Reply:**

"**You have commented most on this fanfiction. Shout out to you! I am sorry if chapters don't come as fast as you like. Life gets busy sometimes. But expect more with summer here and all.****"**

From: Guest

"NOOOOO! Why did you make it a cliffhanger?! I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS! I don't like Scarlet too much, she's kinda stuck up. Please update soon, I'm dying to know what happens next! P.S. I love that you have Max x Fang in there, it's my OTP!"

**My Reply:**

"**Ha ha! You'll just have to wait. ;) I promise you'll know the rest of the story soon. I am glad you just can't get enough of Fax and my fan fiction. SCREW DYLAN X MAX! That's my NOTP!"**

From: Guest

"That was such a good chapter. I loved the Max and Fang part. I don't really trust Scarlett though and Jeb is a pyscho. Overall really good job so far. Please update as soon as possible! :-)"

**My Reply:**

"**Thank you for sticking around! I feel like it was a bit rushed though. :/"**

From: Guest

"Please update soon! I love this story"

**My Reply:**

**"More coming today, June 24th, 2015! Keep your mobile devices locked in right here on the App!"**

From: Guest Chapter 1

"yes there is already fax i love you thank you yasssss"

**My Reply:**

**"Love you and all my fans. ****"**

From: Guest Chapter 2

"i wasnt reading the beginning properly at first so i thought it was fang creeping up on max and then when it said he giggles i was like w** and then read it again and was like ooohhhhhhh! Love the haul and twix twinkies and hahah the puppy dog eyes always win poo u ari"

**My Reply:**

"**Just a typical day with the flock."**

From: Guest Chapter 3

"haha that pun tho"

**My Reply:**

( ͡ᵔ ͜ʖ ͡ᵔ )

From: Guest Chapter 4

"haha all the puns and poor ella im hoping there will be eggy"

**My Reply:**

"**We'll see. ¬ _ ¬ "**

From: Guest Chapter 6

"poor arriiii :'( and khinara is so nice :)"

**My Reply:**

"**The flock needs some kind people in their lives, right?"**

From: Guest Chapter 7

"YAY! YEAH! WOOPPPPP!"

**My Reply:**

"**LEEDLE. LEEDLE. LEEDLE."**

From: Guest Chapter 10

"ooh this is getting more and more interesting!"

**My Reply:**

"**Always getting more interesting.** **ᕙ(⇀****‸↼‶****)ᕗ"**

From: Guest Chapter 11

"yay! fax all the way!"

**My Reply:**

"**You know it! I HATE DYLAN! (SPOILER ALERT) Even if he did give up his life to revive Fang at the end of Maximum Ride Forever. James Patterson didn't need to put him in the series in the first place. "**

From: Guest Chapter 12

"YAY hahahahah loopy fang is the best, hoping for more loopy fang somewhere"

**My Reply:**

"**Loopy Fang may or may not have another appearance. We'll see. (¬****‿****¬)"**

From: Guest Chapter 13

"confuddled ahaha yay im so excited this story makes me so happy and excited :DDD"

**My Reply:**

**(****ﾟヮﾟ****)**

**Me to my fans.**

From: Guest Chapter 14

"BOOOOOOOOO!"

**My Reply:**

"**Yes. Bo."**

From: Guest Chapter 16

"::))) you deserve our comments because you are a great writer! keep it up!"

**My Reply:**

(◕‿◕) THANK YOU!

From: Guest In Reply to Reviews

"oh i say fax"

**My Reply:**

"**MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM. Yes FAX.**** (****っ****ڡ****˘ς)**** "**

From: Guest Chapter 15

"oh no! at least you wrote yet so i can be excited ;)"

**My Reply:**

"**I always keep you excited. ****◕‿↼"**

From: Guest Chapter 17

"NOOOOO SCREW SCIENTISTS! SCREW SCHOOL! ARHGGHHHHHH"

**My Reply:**

"**I hate ter Botch and Jeb. They need to go die in a hole."**

From: Guest Chapter 17

"POOR FANGY i hope hes okay who am i kidding when is anyone okay in the school school sucks balls but luckily angel and the other six are coming! PHEW currently hoping fang doesnt get killed in any future chapters or im gonna have a heart attack and max will be heartbroken anyways hoping that you update sooner or later because this story is reaaallllyyy good"

**My Reply:**

"**I will soon, I am really glad that you love it. You especially seem to be leaving me nice reviews! THANK YOU! I LOVE YOU!"**

From: Guest Chapter 22 (Chapter 18)

"Such an amazing story! Great job! :)"

**My Reply:**

"**Thanks, keep an eye out within the next few months for more adventures with the flock in high school!"**

From: Guest Chapter 4

"This is such a great fanfiction! My favorite character is Iggy, and the way you made his personality basically matched his personality is the book series! I love how you made a story introducing all the characters of the flock too! I hate the books where they only feature parings like Fax or Eggy... You don't see too much of these fanfictions now...  
You should make a fanfic about the flock going to highschool! Without featuring parings though... But that would be awesome! Anyway... I just wanted to say that this is an amazing fanfiction and you did such a good job on writing it!"

**My Reply:**

"**Keep your eyes open! I am revising/editing all these parts. Later this year, I will try and put ****out a FanFic with the flock in high school. It will be like single episodes of their days in high school. "**


	18. Chapter 15: The God-Awful Odds

Chapter 15: The God-Awful Odds

_**Scarlett, at approximately 7 AM.**_

"Fang! Max!" I cried into the open, foggy morning sky. There was nothing, no answer like there had been for hours upon hours. How could I have been so stupid? So stupid as to let them slip out of my sight, out of my grasp. And to add to the perplexity there was six other people to watch out for.

"Scarlett!" Nudge sped at me with Gasman and angel not far behind.

"Scaaaaaaaaaaarlett!" She repeated my name.

"Yes? Did you find them?" I panted rushing to them.

"No. Have you seen any sign, any remote trace of them?!" Nudge's head swiveled right to left constantly like a sprinkler as she was on the watch for our leaders.

"Again, no." I slumped and my head hung low in shame at whatever became of them. We were there back! Why weren't we there at their aid? No! Why didn't I foresee this or at least plan ahead in case a scenario like this was to happen. I gripped my head in shock as the gears inside turned at hyer-speed.

"Our search is turning up useless, we need a new strategy." I suggest.

"What?! What do we do now? Scarlett," Nudge traded grave glances with everyone else, "you're the boss now. We need a leader and it's you. You're the only one among us that is competent enough." Iggy put up his hands to signal, "Wait!"

"Whoa there Nudge! You can't put her in charge, Max didn't_"

"Max didn't what? Approve her? Right now Max would want us to use our best judgment, and I see that Scarlett is very capable and I designate her." Nudge's pointer finger was inches from my face. Angel gave me a glare as did the Gasman.

"Yeah, all she does is be mean to Max. I don't think Max would let her boss us around." Angel crossed her puny arms.

"That's right," Gasman frowned.

"I am in opposition to all of you on this one except Nudge." Ava supported me.

"Scarlett has always been as protective and true to me like Maximum is to all of you. If all the world stood against me I know that Scarlett wouldn't. And as of now do we really have a say in a situation like this? The odds are uncontrollable! Who else do you plan to trust?" Ava's hair whipped in the morning winds and reflected the sunlight making her appear like an Angel of Truth. Adam nodded as he positioned himself near his sister.

"You can trust me! I'm fourteen, I think!" Iggy zipped a few feet higher than Ava.

"Ha, I am fifteen and certain of it." Scarlett flipped her hair.

"It's experience with leadership. Scarlett has more than you Iggy." Nudge nodded at Scarlett.

"Whoever set up those standards?" Iggy sneered.

"No one! It's good old common sense." Nudge said.

"If you vote Scarlett raise your hand now." Nudge announced. Five hands arose after a full minute with nods of certainty and looks of hope. Nudge turned to Iggy.

"Majority rule, what more must be said? Scarlett calls the shots."

"Nudge," Iggy snarled her name and shook his head. Iggy soared in the other direction.

"Iggy!" Nudge called.

"WHAT?!" He roared from afar as he came back.

"We'll all find Max and Fang_" Nudge assured him.

"Not with her in charge!" His upper body involuntarily flexed.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK I'LL DO?" Ditch you all?" I finally spoke up seeing this wasn't gonna end unless I stepped in. My heart thumped like Thumper's foot.

"I abhor the Itex Corp. and what they do. Don't think for a millisecond I will permit them to persist. The thought of them doing," I paused, "stuff to Fang and Max again isn't even a possibility in my mind." No words were spoken as thoughts were processed. Iggy puffed up his chest slightly and nodded. Fang in my book was the only one worth saving, but if saving Max too is what would make the others cooperate I'd do it.

"Scarlett," Nudge looked to me sincerely, "lead the way."

"To the school." I commanded, "that's where they are being held if they were_" I didn't want to even mention the possibility.

"Yes," Nudge gulped.

_**Maximum**_

I sensed swaying to and fro.

Swaying to and fro.

Swaying to and fro.

Swaying to and fro in a cage aboard a chopper as my sense of sight and sound slowly returned to me. My hands and feet tied taut together; there was positively no slack to allow movement of any kind. The classic method of capture.

"Fang." I whispered over the white noise of the chopper's hum.

"Fang." I say again with louder volume.

"Maaax." He groaned.

"You're alive, good." I whispered and relaxed in relief.

"Maaax? I hear you stirring." Jeb's voice was muffled from inside my kennel with no peep holes. I was floored at the presence of that taunting voice. My containment box was opened. Jeb's head was inches from mine as he poked it in. If my hands were free I'd rip it from his body.

"Let's have a little chat." Jeb undid the knots keeping my ankles bound. My feet squirmed free as the rope slid of them. Jeb guided me from inside my wretched cage by grabbing my arm as I crawled out. I staggered as the blood that was in my feet at standstill for at least several hours re-circulated and walked funny for the first five steps. There was a grey folding chair adjacent to Fang's large kennel. Is that where Jeb had sat waiting for us to wake? Man, this guy was determined to get me on his side. Jeb directed me at an unfolded chair, I sat down. He similarly sat down in his stupid chair next to me.

"Look at you." He chuckled. I eyed myself over. A blue, tattered, and blood-stained graphic tee and torn up jeans with dirt-encrusted combat boots. Nothing new.

"What's so special? This is pretty typical for me." I wish it weren't.

"That's not what I meant, Max." He paused.

"Think of all you've done recently. You and Fang turning on your old ways of running and finally fighting. Doing everything you can to surprise me." He cleared up my confusion.

"But, you know that you can't get away that easy despite that your chips were surgically extracted. I could still track this thing digitally and find you." He chuckled waving around our faulty debit card. I was gaping at him.

"Ha ha, just the reaction I perfectly planned for you to have." Jeb was very haughty of himself today.

"Have anything to say in response? No obscenities or name-calling?" He went on in his conceited manner. I was silent; of course I wasn't going to give him anymore of what he wanted.

"No? Nothing? Okay, back to the cage then." He pointed to my confinement unit. I wasn't just gonna obey without attempting to do something. I went for his ribcage with a flying dropkick to knock the very oxygen he inhaled out of his insignificant self.

"AHHHHH," He bellowed in agony. I giggled in victory; a Flyboy wasn't far behind me so I had to react fast. But my moves weren't stealth enough as it picked me up about to throw into the wall.

"Flyboy 2.03467 don't, ahh," Jeb groaned and put his hand on about where his diaphragm was, "knock her unconscious." At least he loved me that much. The Flyboy tied my legs back up again and I sat me in my uncomfortable kennel bent over.

"I love our newly update Flyboys with voice recognition so they only obey my orders!" Jeb exclaimed. I heard him recover from my attack and arouse Fang from his cage. There was quiet for a moment.

"Ah, Fang! Glad you could make it!" Jeb sarcastically greeted Fang. There was no reply from my beloved, only an audible sigh.

"Jeb let me be frank. I hate you, go jump off a building." Fang grumbled.

"Fang, you should regret what you said." I could picture Jeb smirking.

"I DON'T." He was riled up now.

"Aye, Flyboy 2.03467 engage roundhouse kick to the face on experiment 791." Jeb demanded. Fang fell out of his chair and land with a **THUMP** that I could hear. He grimaced quietly.

"Did you hear that Max? That was for you." Jeb scoffed laughing. I was infuriated by these sick-minded loonies; I couldn't wait for the next opportunity to avenge Fang.

"For every rude remark you get hurt. Kapeesh?" Jeb said.

"Alright," Fang replied.

"You're so showy, was that back flip you used to get back up again supposed to astonish me?" I wish I could've seen that.

"No, it was just easier than struggling with my equilibrium to get my balance back." Fang replied plainly.

"Now you're a smartass?" Jeb snapped his finger.

"Flyboy 2.03467 engage left and right hooks below chin to experiment 791." Fang took it and bore the pain silently; I didn't hear anything from him.

"Got anything else to say!? Because we've only just begun this party!" Jeb sounded like a rabid dog.

"Your unsound experimentation on human subjects is wrong." Fang spat, he had nothing but loathing for Jeb. It really stood out in his voice. I gritted my teeth and tensed all over for what was coming next for the boy I loved.

"Flyboy 2.03467 engage," Jeb paused while determining a suitable reprimand for Fang, "nothing."

"An idea far better than that last just occurred to me." Jeb was silent a moment.

"Flyboy 2.03468 remove experiment 790 from cage." I was poised for what my psycho father had in mind for me. The hatch of my cage swung open and metallic arms snatched at me. Was there a way to set these things to a less harsh mode?

"Ouch, that wasn't necessary." I said in pain.

"Flyboy 2.03468 tie experiment 790 to chair." Jeb commanded. The heartless machine prodded me and put me in Jeb's chair with more rope it dispensed from its inside and securely knotted my whole torso to the chair.

"Flyboy 2.03468 restrain experiment 790 to chair." The Flyboy remained behind me and sunk its hands into my shoulders. All my upper body strength was suppressed. Jeb was REALLY strategic about his torment.

"Isn't that better? Now you can see everything Max!" Jeb giggled like a little girl.

"Harm me, not him!" I wormed in my chair, the Flyboy's grip was tighter.

"NO!" Fang got up to hit Jeb but was instantly knocked down by Flyboy 2.03467.

"Ahhh, you'd do that for him?" Jeb mocked me.

"Just like little Ari who committed suicide to crash a chopper for your pathetic escape. He was renegade!" Jeb talked down his own son.

"No," I stopped, "HE WAS MY BROTHER!" I sobbed with tears of fiery fury oppressed by a merciless machine.

"Max, don't be a baby. Get your bearings!" Jeb slapped me. I was silently sobbing and no longer a threat to Jed (in his mind) thus he went back to business with Fang.

"Remember Fang, I am nowhere near done with you." Jeb grinned.

"Flyboy 2.03467 sit and secure experiment 791 in chair." The Flyboy with Fang forcefully thrust him down into the chair. Fang was also silent; hair fell in his bruised face covering one eye. Jeb sighed with his arms on his hips.

"Fang, Fang, Fang," Jeb looked Fang up and down.

"You really believe you and Max are a team don't you?" Jeb began.

"I've seen you two and how happy of a couple you both are, but I believe something needs to be said about Max's priorities and how you're an obstruction. A distraction that is preventing Maximum from fulfilling her full potential."

"What? To save the world." I chuckled. **SMACK**, Jeb's hand flew across my face.

"Shut up!" Jeb gritted his teeth.

"So, I have to get rid of you." Jeb shrugged. Fang's life, his very existence was something he simply brushed off like so many others.

"WHAT!? We work as two!" I jumped shaking my chair.

"Nah, I have concluded that you are more effective working alone. This relationship you two have, this type of bond was never intended from the start." Jeb stated.

"Sometimes this crazy thing called love just happens, which you clearly have none of. How do you even call yourself human?" Fang glared at Jeb.

"Flyboy 2.03467 kick experiment 791." Jeb instructed the Flyboy obeyed. And so the cycle continued. Human programs machine to hurt others for mercenary reasons and personal gain.

"I bet the word humanity isn't in your dictionary!" I retaliated for Fang. Jeb sighed almost as if unenthused, bored even.

"Flyboy 2.03468 bash experiment 790 to the ground." He ordered.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!" came from Fang. I was pushed with the chair to the ground. **CLANK**. The chair rattled me.

"Now, as you already know. I assume your 'flock' is coming for you. I just knew they'd take the bait." Jeb chuckled.

"From here I will just let things play out as planned." Jeb declared.

"Flyboy 2.03467 and Flyboy 2.03468 place experiments 790 and 791 in their separate confinement containers." Jeb exited the room as the Flyboys followed their programming.

_Angel! Angel are you out there?!_ I begged telepathically. There was no response, not yet


	19. Chapter 16: Scarlett's Stupid Stunt

Chapter 16: Scarlett's Stupid Stunt

_**Scarlett, about 1 PM.**_

**DUB LUB. DUB LUB. DUB LUB. **Blood strained through the left and right atriums and down the left and right ventricles of my heart. A strike of pain tased me in the side of my abdomen.

"Keep on!" I shouted to Max's persevering flock. Come on Scarlett! Don't give in to pain and fatigue now! I thought blinking softly.

"Scarlett you'll kill yourself!" Adam whined.

"Please!" Nudge shouted with her irritating voice. Had I heard enough of it!

"SCARLETT! Stop! You're dog-tired!" Ava came to me clinging on my arm in an urging, insistent manner. Did they have no care for my commands?

"Get off of me! I am alright!" I yanked her off my arm. Ava gawked at me abhorred at my shortcoming.

"You're stupid making us all carry on like this! All of us are almost in a state of prostate!" Iggy hollered.

"No! None of you are listening! Do you remember who's in charge? Let's keep moving_" I took shallow breaths and my body with a rebel mind of its own ceased the movement of my albatross-like wings. These magnificent beauties of seafaring birds that bolted amongst the clouds of the sky, that split the very air around me… Halted. Blood rushed upward in my veins as I experienced utter freefall and the universal law of gravitation took me downward at the speed of nine point eight meters per second. Air resistance was minimal in the thin morning air. Misty clouds soaked my clothes as I slashed straight through them. Blackness enshrouded my vision and conscious mind.

"**Scarleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeett."** A voice flew nearer as my sense of hearing went out.

_**Nudge**_

"This girl!" I grimaced beneath the weight of Scarlett's body; her wings sprawled over my eyes blockading my vision.

"Iggy! Angel?! Ava?! Anyone! Please I need help **NOW**!" I was collapsing with her in my grasp. The unconscious girl falling out of the sky just had to take me with her!

"Nudge! I am here!" Ava announced from five feet above descending down with me.

"Me too!" Angel answered the call to help too taking Ava's legs. Ava grasped Scarlett's right arm from below.

"We have to steady her to ease the impact she will take! There's no way of coming out of this one unharmed!" The ground wasn't far away.

"Okay!" Ava nodded.

"Yes!" Angel called above the roaring, whistling winds all around. The two of us tensed upon impact. And boy did it pack a punch; the three of us took a blow we'd never forget.

"NUDGE!"Adam touched down beside us, Gasman was right behind.

"Whoa! You guys fell fast!" Gasman bent near to us concerned.

"**OUCH!** My arm!" Angel sobbed seeing that she had landed atop of it.

"Oh my God! It's twisted in an unnatural direction!" The Gasman pointed and gaped then poked Adam. I covered my mouth at the fright. Her arm was wrecked.

"Oh no! Ava!"Adam said and folded Scarlett's wing that lay on top off of her. Scarlett dog-piled her, she was out too. Adam's left hand was on his forehead.

"Oh my_" He staggered backward and fell over in shock and panic at it all.

"Get up and get a grip! We need medical help! **NOW!** Adam, you go get Iggy with Gasman to find someone!" I sprung forward to attend and comfort Angel. Then the pain jolted my body shooting up from my Achilles' tendon. Oh brother, I really landed on it wrong. I bent over to see the injury, there was blood. That was a sure indicator of something bad. There was blood staining my socks and shoes (there went my fresh neon pink Nikes), and all over the grass that was flattened by my fall.

"Nudge! What are we gonna do?" Angel took heavy breaths in shock as she stared at her disfigured, bloody arm in the dirt. Her face was tear-soaked, grubby, and contorted. The ruffled magenta blouse and navy blue skirt on her were wrinkled and soiled with blood. Woe, this is the agony of bein' a bird kid.

"Shh! Calm down. Shouting and crying will only worsen the pain." I pacified Angel, "I promise we'll get you to a doctor that will make it all better."

"Adam, Gasman, Iggy! Hurry!" My voice ached as I rushed the boys. They were nowhere in my span of sight. Crapola. I had to make sure Scarlett was alive! I wriggled my way off Angel on my ribcage and maneuvered skillfully without shifting weight on my bad foot to Scarlett. I quickly recalled Maximum Ride's emergency education course from a year ago. What was the first step? Uh, oh yeah! Check pulse. There was a beat, I moved onto Ava; same. I haggled to sit up and get there blood flowin' again by struggling with their toned legs and attempting to lift them. The goal here was to get blood back up to the upper body and brain to awaken them. I proceeded on alone because Angel couldn't help due to her handicap of a fractured arm. God, shoulda had Gasman stay with me.

"Nudge! It hurts! It hurts! It hurts!" Angel carried on in crying.

"I know," tears developed in my tear ducts.

"Shhh, cryin' like you are won't help nothin'," I reminded her.

"Wha wha where's Iggy, Adam, and my brother with the ambulance?" She sniffled.

"I don't know." I choked up.

"Angel," I said her name softly to calm her down.

"What?!" Her teary eyes looked up to me.

"Do as Max would do, assess our environment."

"There's trees!" She blubbered.

"A little more detail than that." I lifted Ava's left leg. This was like doing someone else's exercise.

"Well, we didn't crash into a tree." She sniffled. We were lucky we didn't hit one, heck we'd landed in a clearing of trees. The odds were at least that merciful. I looked upward. By now it was midday; the sun was about center in the sky shining brightly with some cumulonimbus clouds being blown in from the north. If clouds had moods, they wouldn't be happy.

"Oh Oregon." I was downtrodden.

"I hope we get help before that storm arrives."

"Me too!" Angel's sobs grew continuously louder. Here came another wave of loud sobs and hot tears from the six-year-old. All this I had to manage while sitting! Time passed endlessly it seemed. Bleeding persisted, and those who'd fainted weren't waking. What help they would be if they were waking! I had to care for Angel's arm as best I knew how and give up on Scarlett and Ava for now. Hopefully they wouldn't fall into a coma. To make a makeshift sling I threw off my backpack plus my denim jacket and ripped the tank top from off my back to expose the red camisole (originally white) plastered to my figure. The fab neon pink Babyphat tank top I was wearing with the alley cat logo had to be salvaged to construct a sling. This really hurt me right in the heart to do this, but still I had to proceed. I ripped the bottom half off from the top, and snugly placed it over Angel.

"There there. Shhh." I comforted her

"OOOOOOOOOOOW! No, Nudge! Don't touch it! It only aches more now!" Angel tear ducts were never gonna run dry. I placed her arm inside to cradle it. Her arm was still abnormally bent. But what could I do? Fixing it up was the doctor's job. I sighed, whenever we got to the hospital.

"Are you hungry?" I remembered my pack with water and calorie-filled granola bars inside.

"Yes," She began to hush. I rummaged through my clothes that were wrinkle-free and folded neatly before I tumbled out of the sky. Next I skipped over my cosmetic pouch full of Bare Minerals powder, Flamboyant Girl's mascara, Mac's black liquid eyeliner (Hell yeah, I could wear that stuff and look as good as %# !), and all the other cosmetic products I had or else I'd die. Finally my fingers found the granola bars I needed and clutched two water bottles.

"Here," I handed her a snack.

"Thanks Nudge," she sniffled some more with bugers running from her nose. Yuck! She needed Kleenex like right now.

"Good, you stopped crying." I crunched into my granola bar and sipped my water avoiding a glance at Angel (or else I'd barf).

"Do you feel_" Sirens of an ambulance howled from a nearby road interrupting me mid-sentence.

"Yay!" Angel cheered.

"Help is coming," I smiled.

"Hey! Nudge!" I whirled around to see Gasman flying with Iggy. Iggy waved.

"Hi!" I called.

"We're gonna hale down the paramedics for you guys! Adam guided them here!" Gasman announced.

"Thanks!" I shouted waving my arms about like a stranded survivor on an isolated island signaling for help.

"Over here!" My voice box ached from yelling. I hope I wouldn't get laryngitis. Paramedics rushed from behind some shrubbery with a gurney.

"How long have you been out here?" The one with the mustache said.

"I really don't know, but the two on the ground have been out the whole time and she has a bloody, broken arm." I pointed to Scarlett and Ava, then Angel informing them each of their injuries in a completely calm voice.

"Ooooh," the other paramedic saw Angel's arm.

"Yeeah, have fun explaining this one to the doctor." He said.

"I am Ted," he notified me

"I am ah, Marissa. It's cute, huh?" I lied to keep a cover. Max had us do that the day Fang's side was clawed by a an Eraser. What I remember most was how Max had me rip up a shirt into strips for bandaging, but that didn't work because the blood seeped through that even. Fang's gash was so bad his muscle tissue was revealed. Max tried everything on her own to save Fang, but a jogger nearby saw us and contacted an ambulance. Maximum didn't like that one bit. At the hospital we all knew that our secret was bound to spill. The doctor who saw Fang found out and just couldn't shut up; the FBI was called and we were questioned about our abilities of flight and why we could. We didn't utter a word of truth, but now I recall that day I think maybe help is what should've asked for. With where we were now, I really regret not spilling the beans about the school and it's God-awful experimentation.

One of the agents, Anne Walker, invited us to reside with her in Virginia; she owned a large farmhouse with some land. That was just the time of our lives! There, we lived like regulars and attended school! ACTUAL school where you learn stuff out of textbooks and make friends! Ahh, what a time that was! I was SO popular, everybody just loved me and coveted my long lashes and good looks. Fang even went out with a girl, a cute redhead with cherry red lips. Man was she all over him (literally). Max saw the redhead makin' out and petting on Fang against the lockers one day. The image was branded in her long-term memory; I remember how jealous she was… Thus I think that was a reason that we ditched the place and Anne too, but primarily due to the day that Erasers surprised us walkin' home.

"Call me Mike," the mustached paramedic said.

"Alright, she's Cutie Pie." I said pointing to Angel.

"Now Cutie Pie we're gonna put you on the stretcher, okay?" Ted told Angel, she nodded.

"Are you able to wiggle your fingers for me?" Ted asked. Angel's fingers responded.

"Excellent! That's a good job!" Ted encouraged her.

"Looks to be several fractures," Ted whispered to Mike and my direction. **WHEEE WHOO! WHEEE WHOO!**

"Good that other ambulance we called is here too!" Gasman exclaimed behind me.

"Yeah, we need two." I said.

"Marissa?" Ted addressed me by pseudonym.

"Hmm?"

"Your ankle is bloody, I need to see it." He put on a new pair of surgical gloves because the last ones were sticky with Angel's blood. I shuddered at the trigger.

"Yes," I stuck my bum leg out.

"Sheesh? What happened to the both of you?" He fingered it as I tried to grimace. Seven more paramedics raced from out of the trees with two more gurneys to take away Ava's and Scarlett's limp, blood-covered but not quite pale bodies.

"Joe, there's still a pulse for her and her! We can save them both!" One of them yelled placing Ava's wrist back down.

"Hustle! Hustle!" Another paramedic hurried them. All the other gloved paramedics heaved to get Scarlett on a gurney as well as Ava. Before we blinked they were off with them.

"Let's get you two to the E.R. What hospital?" Mike questioned assisting me into a wheelchair.

"We don't know the area; please just take us to the same hospital as them." I replied.

"Fine," Mike pushed me up a ramp into the emergency vehicle followed by Angel who was hauled up and strapped in on the stretcher. Ted secured the ambulance doors after us and Mike drove us away.

_**Iggy**_

"Did the doctors decide how long the girls would be here to recover?" Gasman's voice came from my right.

"Not yet," Adam said, "the ambulances just unloaded Scarlett and Ava; Nudge and Angel aren't even here yet."

Gasman sighed, "I guess we just gotta wait then."

"The lobby is over here Iggy," Gasman's feet pattered to the left and I followed them.

"Sit here," Gasman patted a cushioned seat where I sat.

"Where you allowed to visit either of them?" I asked solemnly.

"No," he responded, I sighed. Gasman got up and went to the receptionist's desk.

"Can you please tell me if two girls arrived yet in the E.R.? One with a broken arm and another with a broken ankle." Gasman was polite.

"Nothing with that report has shown up on my monitor yet." He said.

"Alright, thanks." He walked with a slow stride back to his seat. Silence was among us for a short span of minutes while our minds wandered everywhere about everyone and what might happen.

"Should we really be sitting around while Max and Fang are endangered like they are?" I spoke up.

"Scarlett and my sister could be in a coma right now!" Adam growled at me.

"Fang and maybe Maximum could be dead." I was candid. Gasman shifted probably uncomfortably.

"The others are safe getting what they need. I am confident they will heal in two days and be back up to par." I added.

"Four of your flock members are down, and two possibly dying. Now you're gonna go looking for your leaders who were abducted and killed?"

"Did you really lose that much faith to declare them dead? I know who has Max, and I'm certain they don't have any intentions to kill her. But I am certain they have a motive to murder Fang."

"You %# *!" Adam cursed my name.

"I may be a %# , but at least I have hope in my family's survival." I admitted.

"Gasman! Let's go." Gasman stood up and listened.


	20. Chapter 17: The Plan for Extermination

Chapter 17: The Plan for Exterminations of Experimentations

_**Nudge, 5 PM.**_

"Girls! Scarlett's awake!"Adam hounded us.

"Oooh! Lemme see her." Angel jumped up from her chair next to my bed. She now had a proper sling, instead of my improvised t-shirt sling.

"That's good to know." I sat up and stood on only my right ankle and leaned on my crutches for support in gaining my balance.

"Is Ava awake too?" I hobbled closer to Adam.

"No, but I suppose she will be soon. Let's first see Scarlett." Adam led us out of the room where we'd been admitted and back to the E.R. where Scarlett and Ava were both in the ICU. Adam stood in the doorway patiently as we went in to visit Scarlett.

"Hey, how do you feel?" I spoke first.

"A little groggy, achy, and disoriented." Scarlett put her hand to her head.

"That'll change very rapidly; you're already awake and recovering." I smiled.

"Yeah, I guess so," she repositioned herself.

"She's doing quite well Dr. Govato, as you may see she's already awake." Adam informed Scarlett's doctor who'd arrived to check on her.

"I am not shocked; your species is capable of abnormally rapid recovery." The doctor eyed Adam's wings and engineered build. Adam backed away in an awkward daze, as I would've done. This guy knew we weren't a bunch of ordinary kids.

"Who're your creators?" The doctor sat down next to Scarlett's bed. I froze in place; I didn't know how to reply.

"Uh, we don't have to disclose any of that information," Adam was stern. The doctor sighed.

"Are you defending your creators and what they've done to you?" Dr. Govato accused us.

"No way!" We heard a hoarse voice from the other side of the curtain that divided the room. We heard her pulse jump on the heart rate monitor.

"Ava?" Adam threw back the curtain and rushed to her bedside.

"I am awake and angry you'd say such a thing," she announced.

"You made that pretty clear," I giggled.

"None of us would justify their immoral experimentation." Ava gritted her teeth in anger.

"If all of you are against them why don't you just turn them in?" Dr. Govato suggested.

"We've partnered with Congress to stop these guys. There's an international cooperation of these sick-minded millionaires. Trust us, we've tried that route." I stated. Maybe Max was right not to trust anyone.

"Then who is the hospital to call?" Dr. Govato asked.

"No one," Adam replied.

"Okay, come on now_" The doctor began with us.

"Do you need a billing address? We don't have one, sorry sir." I made clear. The doctor took a deep breath.

"Just rest, I'll return later to talk." The doctor sulked out of the room and there was a **SLAM** of the door.

"Glad he's gone," Ava muttered.

"How do you feel, sis?" Adam asked.

"Better, but I need rest." Ava turned her back to us to sleep.

"Yes, but before we leave you two to rest we need to chat."

"What's up?" Scarlett began the conversation.

"Iggy and Gasman left to find Max and her boyfriend." Adam sneered.

"Did they say they were headed to Death Valley?" I perked up at his words.

"No, Iggy just said he knew who kidnapped them, got up, and left!" Adam almost shouted.

"They're gone?!" Angel was shocked.

"Yes!" Adam confirmed.

"Why didn't they wait?" Ava interrogated.

"Because he said you were all cared for in the E.R. and he just couldn't sit still." Adam seethed. Moments of silence sat upon us as all thought.

"And why didn't you go with them?" I inquired; I caught on to Iggy's logic.

"What kind of question is that? What makes you think I'd desert my sisters to die in the E.R.?"

"Hey, we're not dead." Scarlett protested.

"I was concerned!" Adam retaliated.

"Thank you for your concern, but Iggy made the right choice. If he waited around like he was much longer there was no ensuring that Max or Fang would be alive." Scarlett realized.

"Right," I coincided.

_Get'em Iggy!_ I thought.

_**Iggy, at 5 PM.**_

A gale arose against us which forced me to flap harder. I was only guided by the Gasman's voice that sounded strained over the wind.

"I believe we're passing a big mountain range, I think it's the Siskiyou of northern California!" Gasman shouted.

"Are they snow capped?!" I wanted to know.

"Always!" Gasman responded.

"What you do you think our speed is as of now?" I asked.

"Maybe 250 MPH," Gasman guessed.

"Only 250 MPH?! Do you think you could boot up your speed to 325 MPH at least?" I panted.

"Only Max can do that!" Gasman hollered back.

"I know, but how else will we beat Jeb to the school? They're in a freakin' chopper!" I continued on.

"Average speeds of a majority of choppers is only about 150 MPH. Their trip to the school in Death Valley probably only took them six to seven hours maybe. They really beat us to it if they left last night in a helicopter headed south." Gasman reasoned.

"Okay fine they made it the school! But in emergencies you never splurge your costly time!"

"We're not splurging anything! You and I are headed on a fixed path to Death Valley! How much do you want to push our physical limitations and restrictions? Scarlett wore herself down to nothing doing that. Do you recall where that got us all?" Gasman advised back. I quieted up and thought: _Gasman is smart for his few eight years of living. _

"Alright, I won't repeat her mistake!" I agreed back.

"Good," Gasman laughed, "I was scared you were beginning to turn into another Scarlett with the way you sounded."

"I know." I couldn't help a chuckle.

"Remember that it's all cause and effect," Gasman winked.

"Isn't that concept applicable to everything in life though? Our rescue for Max and Fang is only a result of another's malicious acts." I got Gazzy back.  
"Yeah," Gazzy realized.

"Do you need some food before we break an entry? You don't wanna be depleted of energy when we get to the school." I changed the subject.

"Yes! My gut has been rumblin' all day!"

"Great, because I feel the same way. What do you feel like? Bird, chipmunk, squirrel, maybe deer." I listed of our various choices of availability, at least availability within a five mile radius.

"No Iggy! Food! Like the calzone you make! My stomach and I agree that would settle really well right now." Gazzy patted his firm, tone abdomen.

"That would be no problem if I had the proper ingredients and an operational kitchen. Look around; do you see any of that?" I replied.

"No, but it still sounds tasty." Gasman's voice had a reluctant tone to it.

"Just choose something, find it, and I'll use a homemade bomb out of your study supply to blow it up with." I sighed.

"Alright." Gasman quit daydreaming and came back to reality. He zipped to where I think he spotted something.

"FOOD! Right exactly below your left foot!" He directed my attention to my left. I listened and heard the screeches of elk calling that echoed throughout the range.

"Can you hear them?" I knew Gazzy grinned.

"Oh yeah! It's sensational to my ears!" I smiled.

"That's our supper right there," Gazzy said, "let's claim it!"

"First let's find a tree so I can fish a bomb out of my bag." I heard the flit of his wings move down, my instinct made me follow.

"I am gonna mimic a female elk mating call to attract the buck. When you hear the reply flip the switch to activate the little devil and hurtle it in the buck's direction. Got it?" Gasman pulled the bomb from his bag with a shuffling sound and recapped or procedure.

I nodded with a thumbs up. Gasman let out a LONG screech that gave me the image of a distressed, despaired cow desperate to mate calling a bull. There was about a forty second pause that quieted the WHOLE herd of elk. The mightiest bull of the bunch stepped forth to respond with the loudest guttural grunt an elk could get out, way down from the deepest bowels of his throat. I flipped the trigger to activate the ticking which out of fear and caution caused me to chuck the bomb far away at my target. The two of us ducked for the small shockwave and didn't uncover for the full duration of a minute. Luckily we were sheltered in a pine from debri. When everything fell dead silent, we looked up.

"Bull's-eye." Gasman's hand split air and rose up for a high-five and I slapped it.

"Quite literally, the bomb ended up hitting the bull's eye! Part of the left upper-region of its face is obliterated along with three other victimized elk."

"Headshot!" I commented. The two of us flew from the tree and to the ground where our meal lay.

"It's already cooked to a nice scorch!" Gasman exclaimed.

"What a pleasant charred taste tonight's meal will have." I joked.

"I call the flanks!" Gasman flung up his hands in victory. I heard him rip a hind-leg away from its socket, bite away the skin, and tear into the edible flesh.

"Feeling carnivorous?" I elbowed him.

"Yes," he got up and took off a lib, "here enjoy some."

"Thanks little bro." I grinned accepting the leg and biting into the skin which I spat out.

"No prob at all." He continued on in eating. I finished the whole flank in about two minutes when my lips felt only bone and ligament.

"Can you pry me off another limb?" I requested.

"Of course," Gasman handed me a juicy one which I demolished.

"Which one are you on?" I challenged Gazzy.

He sighed, "still my first."

I giggled, "I could fit in a third."

"But I called the flanks and the left flank is all that's remaining unless..." He hesitated.

"Unless you scrounge in the chest cavity for more meat." I finished his sentence.

"Yeah, I don't want to have to do that." Gasman sounded grossed out. We were learning more about anatomy than in any of Jeb's biology labs that we did with dissecting small animals.

"Can I have the flanks off another elk?" I had the idea.

"Sure," Gasman went a few feet away to a female elk (a cow) and removed a leg for me.

"Here you are." Gasman put a smaller leg into my hands.

"Thanks dude," I thanked him.

"You're welcome," Gasman continued eating as did I. A few quiet moments happened between us, but then dissipated when Gasman asked a question.

"Iggy?" He said.

"Hmm,"

"Do you think_" he stammered.

"What?"

"Do you believe that Max and Fang are dead right now?" Gasman spat out.

"No!" I didn't hesitate.

"They can't be, they won't be," I affirmed, "not while my heart's beating."

"I hope they're not." Gasman seemed doubt-filled.

"You hope they're not? You know they're not!" I yelled, it almost sounded like a rebuke.

"Sorry, don't mean to be harsh." I apologized.

"No, don't say sorry. That wasn't harsh, it was hopeful." He spoke with a restored sense of hope. I smiled.

"I am glad. Grab another leg or two and let's get back up in the sky." I finished of my third leg.

"Yes," Gasman harvested the last flank from the buck and snagged three legs from a nearby, blown-up cow.

"Some pack of wolves will eat good tonight." I said.

"Yup, there's enough for one to two packs of 'em." Gasman stowed the food in his pack, slung it over his back and stood up to takeoff.

_**Maximum, at the school about 5 PM.**_

"Experiment 790! Vwhat an honor ist iz." A familiar accent had my attention. I sighed.

"MAX!" Jeb commanded through gritted teeth as he peered down through the open hatch of my cage.

"Say hello," He smiled.

"Hi," I mouthed.

"Would you like to take a better look at this specimen?" Jeb was sincere and polite.

"Dat vwould be fery splendid," Roland ter Bocht nodded.

"I will have her removed and bound to a chair. Flyboy 2.03468 remove and secure subject 790 in that chair." Jeb directed the Flyboy.

"Vwhy haf dist subjectsz ben restrained?" ter Botcht gave Jeb a curious look.

"Just for precautionary reasons," Jeb ensured smiling.

"Hmm," Ter Bocht accepted things as they were as I was haggled with out of my cage and 'secured' in a chair.

"Now, Vwhat hasst made my arrїval here fery important?" Roland drug out the i in arrival.

"These subjects and specifically experiment 791." Jeb glanced at me.

"Her mission is to save the world, and I wanted you to meet our heroine." Jeb patted my shoulder. I lowered my hand and bit his finger that tasted of hand sanitizer.

"Ouch! No Max!" Jeb pushed my face back from his bit index finger.

"Sometimes the subjects get, uh, rebellious." Jeb clarified. Roland ter Bocht nodded, but clearly not at all entertained.

"Zese experimentsz? Zere are sechs?" ter Bocht asked.

"Yes. Six that I know of now, but I have heard from other laboratories there are more of their kind."

"You will get to see them all soon." Jeb smiled.

"Fery goood," ter Bocht grinned.

"Vwhat can zay do?" Ter Bocht went on.

"Speak English more fluently than you," the words slipped out.

"Schut up!" The German geneticist bent low to my face.

"And beat the brains out of your hot-head!" I added.

"Flyboy 2.03468! Silence subject 790!" Jeb demanded like the tyrant he was.

"One day you'll bleed for what you've done Jeb Batchedler!" A needle jabbed into my skin and forced me silent.

_**Fang**_

Jeb's sigh sounded exactly like smoke escaping from a car's exhaust pipe.

"Max," he muttered probably shaking his head in shame at her.

"Sorry, Dr. ter Bocht. With all honor and reverence due to you, I am apologizing on behalf of our finest experiment. She will apologize for the nuisance she's been to you one day when she realizes what truly matters for her life; that day she will have to listen and take on her mission. That day will be when the boy is finally gone!" My fists tensed at Jeb.

"If the gurl vwere not to? Zen vwould you kill her az vwell?" Ter Bocht posed the present threat of Max's refusal.

"What else would you recommend besides to scrap her plus all other experiments of her kind and start again?" Jeb proposed in reply.

"Nothing, zat ist fery good ven," ter Bocht would grin.


	21. Chapter 17: The Plan for Extermi

Chapter 17: The Plan for Exterminations of Experimentations Continued

_**Ava at 8 PM.**_

"God! That stupid doctor!" I made an abhorred expression as if I had just witnessed someone puke. The wretched doctor had come back to lecture us more. It was a drag.

"Money is all their after," Adam grumbled.

"Yeah especially that one," I coincided.

"Hey not all doctors are bad people!" Nudge defended them.

"How can you say that after all doctors ever did to you was experiment on you like a lab rat!" Adam snapped.

"The individuals who screwed with my DNA weren't doctors! REAL doctors take care of all people regardless of who they are!" Nudge remarked.

"Pah, name one and a legit reason they're worthwhile." Adam crossed his arms.

"I can name more!" Nudge retorted.

"Mrs. Martinez and Dr. Maverick. Two bright-minded, brilliant, and excellently-educated doctors who had nothing but compassion for us all!" She stated.

"Quit with the lip service," Adam laughed at Nudge.

"Dr. Maverick extracted Fang's tracker that endangered us all. Remember that? Oh, and Angel the time Dr. Martinez gave us all i pods!" Nudge looked over at Angel.

"Yeah, but I lost mine," Angel was downtrodden at the thought.

"So did I," Nudge confessed.

"What else did this glorious Dr. Martinez do?" I asked with attitude.

"She regarded us with respect and loved us like her own kids! Are any of you capable of that?" Nudge asked matter-of-factly.

"Yes!" Scarlett spoke up.

"Than show some love! Stop scoffing at us." Nudge accused us.

"We're not scoffing at you!" Adam defended Scarlett and I instantly.

"Stop bickering!" Angel threw her one good arm in the air.

"What good is any of this?" She clarified her point. The silence of self-examination and conviction permeated the room.

"Max and Fang may be dead." She started.

"Can't you guys just get over yourselves for the sake of them? Iggy and Gasman really need us now, and we're here in a hospital room arguing. Please just get along."

"Thank you Angel! I will gladly stop," Nudge acted as if she was faultless.

"Alright," I said.

"Yes," Adam agreed.

"Fine," Scarlett gave her usual glare.

"GOOD," Angel expressed her approval.

"Are any of you feeling better?" Angel inquired.

"I am at my prime A game." Adam raised his hand.

"Well of course you are," Nudge giggled, "you came out of that scramble without a bruise to behold."

"I wish the rest of us could say the same," she frowned at her hurt ankle.

Adam sighed sat back down slouching.

"I wish I went with Iggy." Adam regretted.

"I miss the action!" Adam made a fist and chuckled.

"Yeah, but you know that it's never too late," Angel cheered him up.

"Oh, but I am afraid it only is too late." Adam shook his head.

"Why do you say that?" Nudge cocked her head.

"Give it up! You all know that_" Adam didn't bother to complete his sentence. No words were spoken.

"I don't wanna think that." Angel sniffled.

"I know," Scarlett mumbled.

"Well, I don't know anything about where they are or what state they're in. All I know is I got hope." Nudge tried to assure us.

"That's truly all we've ever had," I throw my head against the pillow dismayed.

"What are we supposed to do now?" Scarlett asked the obvious question.

"No, the question is what am I supposed to do?" Adam pinpointed.

"I am the only one well enough to fight. I need to find the Gasman and Iggy." He announced.

"You realize they're already half way there by now, right?" I reminded Adam.

"Yeah, but they'll need reinforcements." Adam insisted.

"And I know that if Jeb has Max captive the place has to be on high security. They'll need more reinforcements than just you. I am coming too." Nudge rebuttled.

"You're crazy! You're in a cast!" Scarlett shouted.

"Nevermind that! They need help." Nudge got up.

"Besides I feel like I could take some Flyboys." Nudge gritted her teeth and spoke in a low tone that sounded like a growl.

"You're four fighters strong, but five is greater. I am coming." Angel puffed out her chest. Nudge smiled.

"Angel," Nudge said, "it's too risky for you."

"NO! This is what I have trained for!" Every muscle in Angel's body flexed.

"Angel please," Scarlett tried convincing Angel but she wouldn't listen. Instead of obeying she got up and stood next to Nudge.

"When do we leave?"

"Right after we order some supper from the hospital cafeteria," Nudge nodded to the door.

"WAIT!" Scarlett called from behind.

"What?" Nudge looked back. Scarlett shot up out of bed.

"Six is better than five!" Scarlett stumbled a bit.

"And seven, ugh, is superior to six." I cringed as I forced my body up. We had to do this.

_**Iggy at 11 PM.**_

"There! There's the school," Gasman took a deep breath spying the school from where we stopped in the crevice of a plateau. I sighed; I wish I could forget the route to this place.

"Good." I breathed.

"You see the one window in the room where they kept us in cages?" I recollected back to a time before I lost my sight.

"Undoubtedly yes! Our one peep-hole to the outside world." Gasman was over-dramatic as usual.

"That's where we make our break because that has to be where Max and Fang are." I said.

"Let's hope," Gasman gulped and I heard him bend down to pick up a decently sized rock.

"We're losing time! Let's go." I forced my wings open and followed Gasman's flapping.

_**Fang in a cage at about 11 PM.**_

"Max?" I struggled to hush my voice enough so I would not be heard by unwanted listeners but audible enough for Max to hear.

"Fang," my name softly escaped her lips.

"What happened while," Max breathed, "I was out." The sedatives were letting up.

"Jeb said that they were gonna kill the whole flock including you if you didn't listen to him." I was blunt.

Max stirred silently, probably uneasy.

**BASH! **The glass smashed startling Max and me. Redundant red lights of alarms flashed with its cacophony of a sound.

"Grab their cages!" Iggy's voice came from just in front of me.

"Which ones?" Gasman yelled.

"Over here!" I hollered.

"I am right here!" Max copied me.

"Okay!" I felt my cage levitate.

"Just let me out!" I pounded.

"We don't have time for that!" Iggy heaved my cage up and up. He'd grown immensely stronger.

"I am right behind you with Max!" Gasman's strained voice followed.

"They're in here! Come quick with help!" A male voice shouted.

"Oh crap!" Gasman sighed.

"We can take them Gasman," Iggy was confident.

"Drop them outside!" Iggy instructed.

"NO!" Max's voice boomed from within her kennel that was already falling away from mine.

"AH!" I grimaced as I hit the ground. Something really hurt but my adrenaline was telling me to go go go! I shot up out of the cracked cage, but a Flyboy from right behind stuffed me right back in_. I can't go back or Jeb would have my life._ The veracity of my thought propelled my left fist forward at the metal torso of the Flyboy with a **CRUNCH**. Automated beeps sounded and it's lit up eyes flickered off. The tin-can-of-a-thing hit the sandy grit of a ground. My intuition threw open my wings fully extended and I pulled myself away from anymore possible assailants.

"MAX!" Was all that I could think of in that very split second I saw her man-handled by a Flyboy. It had bound her wrists with shackles and lifted her up by her writhing legs. Her face was red as she was shrieking at me.

"NO! Fang! FLY AWAY TO **FREEDOM!**" She screamed in pain. I couldn't bare it; watching a wretched machine abuse her.

"Fang!" Iggy warned. His warning was senseless to me in this consequential moment. I had to save Max.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Righteous wrath motivated me to fight the Flyboy. I dove at it with all I was.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Her voice raked at my ears.

"GET BACK!" Gasman was gripping onto my torso to halt me. I gripped his arm and thrust him off seconds before I floored the Flyboy attacking Max. Right away it booted me in the kidney which left me choking for oxygen. _**Go!**_ I gathered myself again and sprung for its head and plied it off. Remaining was only the stub of springs its head was suspended on.

"Flyboys engage fight mode on Fang!" Jeb's voice rung over the ruckus. Here came more Flyboys. I didn't linger a second more in awe of the other Flyboy's head I'd just ripped off. I sprinted for the fastest one coming for me and planted a knee in it's abdomen. I didn't want to strike with my aching, bleeding hands. My knees I knew where tougher and could endure more blows to sheer metal. _Strike here! Strike there!_ I thought as I kept corn-dogging Flyboys which worked for about ten seconds before about six from above dog plied me. More thugs made of metal tumbled on top of another to keep me grounded. Cut after bruise was inflicted. I just didn't have adequate backing; Jeb's infinite supply of these things were insuperable alone.

"FAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaang!" Maximum's call for me echoed in the sky as she was drug away by Iggy and Gasman.

"After her! **NOW!**"Jeb commandeered his ranks after them. I couldn't see a thing of what was happening because I was enshrouded by metallic bodies and arms grappling to keep me captive. A formed fist from a Flyboy atop of me glocked my right temple giving me head trauma that made me unconscious.

_**Maximum Ride**_

"Iggy! No! We have to go back for him." Iggy ignored me and only tightened his grasp around my abdomen.

"Gasman! Please! Take me back! They're going to murder him!" Gasman shook his head; he was heaving my legs. My own flock was restraining me!

"No Max. It's you Jeb wants! We can't risk you again!" He observed a formation of three dozen Flyboys coming from below us.

"Man!" Gasman let go of my legs and pulled off his backpack in midair. He pulled a tab from it and dropped his backpack downward at them. **BOOM!**A mushroom cloud of smoke and fire exploded from his backpack. Formations of Flyboys in a hot pursuit of us dropped like flies and the shockwave blew back my hair.

"How did_" I was shocked.

"I know you're surprised," he grinned, "I made my backpack into a bomb."

"God Gasman! That contained our food!" Iggy reacted shaking his head with emphasized gestures.

"THE FOOD? What the hell are we gonna eat?" I demured.

"What? Were you actually gonna try to take those flyboys?!" Gasman asked.

"NO!" My feathers were standing on end.

"Explosions are the most efficient way to kill." Gasman shrugged.

I sighed and pouted because I knew he was right.

"Yeah, but now we have to hunt. Without bombs." I retaliated.

"That's better than fighting thirty-six plus Flyboys." Iggy admitted. I was quiet. Iggy released me.

"When are we going back for Fang?" I spat after three minutes.

"Definitely not now." Iggy said.

"But they're gonna kill him!" I cried.

"We came after both of you knowing that, but today we could only save you. I promise we won't abandon Fang." Iggy's voice was remorseful.

"What's the flock motto!" I shouted tears flying off my face.

"Flock before family," Gasman uttered.

"Yes," I nodded, "that includes you. Always put anyone in the flock before yourself."

"That means we go back for Fang even if we die doing it." I reasoned.

"Max, the flock needs you most right now. Fang would agree; I am certain he would." Iggy said.

_Stop_, a telepathic voice other than my own spoke in my head. And I am sure it wasn't my Voice.

"No," I stopped shocked.

"I heard Angel's voice too," Gasman stated.

"As did I," Iggy agreed.

"They're near," Iggy smiled.


	22. Chapter 18: Final Showdown

Chapter 18: Final Showdown

_**Fang**_

"Ugh" I groaned my vision blurred and focused again. Air strained through my lungs and aches seized my ribcage.

"Come on," I breathed deeply and drug my lower-half to a sitting position.

"Ah," I put a hand to my side where it hurt and looked at my palms smeared with blood. Softly my fingertips met my face and felt more warm wetness – blood. I was coated in the stuff.

"God, this isn't good." I exhaled with a pained grimace. A low, humored chuckle sounded from behind. I closed my eyes and took a breath.

"Fang," Jeb acknowledged that he knew of my awareness of him.

"I know. You're there; right behind me." I opened my eyes again in anticipation of anything, but Jeb only moved into my direct line of vision.

"What?" The tone of my response sounded defeated, diminished. I had to sound strong even if I was expended.

"I see I have broken you down to nothing." He was pleased.

"You think so?" I asked.

"Mmm yeah," he nodded scrutinizing me with his eyes.

"Get up." He nodded once at me. I blinked, breathed in, and lifted myself back up to my feet.

"Great, you obeyed." he grinned and I was placid.

"Fang, you're different than Max. She would've sprung on me, but you…" He paused.

"You didn't."

"Why didn't you?" he interrogated. A shrug was my only reply.

"Fang," He shook his head with a slight smile.

"That's not a very specific answer." He frowned.

"I like detailed; not a blunt shrug of your shoulders." His voice ran cold.

"Sorry I don't have comprehensive analysis on why I didn't attack you."

"No need for apology. You already know you're actions only hurt yourself." Jeb put the end of a pen to my arm and clicked the top to shock me. I fell back into a chair behind me.

"I constructed this whimsical little gadget just for you. Nine volts of electricity has resulted in quite a nice shock." He turned his tiny taser in his hand and slipped it back into the coat of his lab coat located on his lapel.

"Have you decided to keep quiet now?" Jeb smirked smugly. I nodded once.

"Nice to know," he was pleasured.

"Dr. ter Botch, come say hello to our honored house guest." He addressed his supervisor.

"Ya!" I heard ter Botch wheel in a lab cart with syringes and supplies situated on it.

"Hungry? Have sum noogot!" The German geneticist offered me.

"You're not you when you're hungry." Jeb winked. I blinked unamused.

I shook my head because I couldn't trust them. I knew they were after my life and I wouldn't die by poisoned Snickers; ter botch made a wrinkled frown.

"Hmph, I knew it would take more than that." Jeb moved toward the cart; he grasped a tablet.

"Fang, do you know where Maximum is? I know." Jeb touch the digital screen luminous with light on the tablet.

"No," I exhaled, "but probably on her way here to assassinate your ass."

"That's what you'd like to think," Jeb remarked.

"I had an implant put in her similar to my nifty little pen while she was out. With one shock to the heart she's dead before she takes her next breath. Only the press of button, Fang" Jeb posed his finger over the screen.

"NO!" Emotions roared from deep inside. Jeb's finger relinquished in clicking the button, he stopped overtaken by thought and picked up an object that clinked.

"Fang," Jeb sighed smacking a button on my chair.

My brain sent nerve impulses to every part of me to get that i pad from Jeb, but my reflexes failed me because the restraints came down to fast. Clenches on the chair over my chest, abdomen, legs, and neck held me down in place.

"It's your or her," He forced a syringe into my grasp. I eyed the tablet in Jeb's hand; his finger hovered nearer over it reminding me the threat was still present. He wouldn't hurt Max with me dead. I shut my eyes and stabbed a pulsing vein in my forearm with the needle and let the toxin infiltrate my bloodstream.

_**Maximum**_

"**FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANG!"** My heart screamed in unison with me. I swooped low for the school, specifically for a window in the building where my gut told me Fang had to be. Tears streamed backward from off my face as I ripped through air current. I careened like a dart towards my target forgetting everything behind me. Glass shards shattered around me and cut skin, but the pain was insignificant now. Fang's restrained body lay limp in the chair.

"TER BOTCH!" My projectile was set on him. I slammed my left combat boot into his right kidney; then delivered a nice sweep to his ankles that sent him to his knees kneeling at my mercy. I ended it with the CRACK of his neck that severed his spinal cord. I smiled at the death of this man.

"Maximum Ride. What a pitiful name." Jeb spat from not two feet away. I swiveled around to throw myself at him and locked on like a leach.

"NO J_" Jeb stabbed a scalpel into my thigh. My grip loosened but not enough to where he could shake me off.

"Max!" He shouted. I clawed at his face and lab coat with my dagger-like, long nails as he tried to maintain footing but ran into a wall. I had him now. I gifted him with a right hook to the jaw. That had to be a sure K.O. because he crumpled. I gripped his neck.

"You murdered him like his life meant nothing," I sobbed almost convulsing seeing Fang dead.

"He killed himself. See the syringe?" Jeb said in his own deplorable defense. On the floor at Fang's feet was a used syringe. I shook my head.

"Liar! Did Ari just kill himself too?" I kicked his shin.

"Max," his breathing was strained, "I intended so much more purpose for your existence, you only have to see." My grip around his neck lessened. Jeb reached for his pocket.

"Humanity needs a heroine and it's you, Maximum Ride." I gazed at the floor where only my pair of feet stood. Jeb was suspended of the ground in my grip. Was I stronger than our last rendezvous or was I only revenge-hungry?

"Apologies, but I am not that girl. Predestining my purpose was never your place; it's only ever been mine." My fingers reinforced their grip and proceeded to mangle his neck.

Jeb's face un-contorted as he lost oxygen and turned totally blue.

"No," Jeb uttered. I heard the click of a button. I fell to the ground; searing pain burst from my heart.

"I loved you Max," Jeb shook his head as my vision faded and darkness consumed my senses.

_**Scarlett**_

"GASMAN!" Figures of winged teenagers soaring below me was hard to make out, but just visible enough for me to see.

"Scarlett! Everybody! Max and Fang are hostage! There!" Gasman's finger directed me to a building.

"That the school?" I asked.

Gasman took a breath, "yes."

"Let's go! Now!" Gasman, Nudge, Angel, and Iggy at the lead rushed in their pursuit for the school. Ava's eyes were horror-filled. She'd heard the stories of the school as I did.

"You're safe, I am right at your side." I gave her assured eyes. Adam stopped just behind me and

I nodded to the others. Brother and sister with intent eyes soared low for the school with me. Lower, lower, and lower we went, loosing elevation in seconds until we bolted in through the roof to a room with Flyboys and Erasers ready at our arrival. Rhythmic heart beats increasing like the tempo of an upbeat song and breathing –inhale, exhale- became the melody.

The melody played loud as perspiration and perseverance up to this very moment paid off. The school's defense was dwindling with each blow.

"Scarleeeeeeeeeeeeett!" Ava called out in distress.

"I am here!" I swung for the Flyboy with Scarlett. Blood bled from knuckles as I left visible dents. I didn't key eye, I was silent stealth. The thing released Ava.

"Be more cautious!" I called leaping up to pound in an Eraser from the back before it swiped Iggy off his feet.

"I heard that one coming!" he said.

"No I heard it before you!" I yelled clinging on a Flyboy. It toppled with me atop of it, and I stomped the tin can to flattened aluminum foil. That was tens of times easier on my hands!

"There's more!" Adam announced.

"Not while I am alive and fighting." Blood dripped from my fists as I sprinted to meet more attackers.

"Come on! Have some courage!" I commanded the flock. Iggy, Nudge, and Angel were already receiving the next round of Erasers and Flyboys.

"No cowards! We're in this and there's no backin' out now!" I kicked three times turning continually at an Eraser that sprawled to the ground unconscious.

"We're fighters! Not quitters!" I saw in increase in Ava's ferocity. She wasn't scared anymore, she'd broken fear itself.

"Yeah!" I rallied her on. I stopped a second expectant and ready for anything from anywhere.

"Scarlett!" I turned; a metal foot was aimed for my face. Getting good grasp on the Flyboy's leg wasn't easy, but when I did I latched on and forced the Flyboy to the floor where I jumped on and its head and hear the mechanical hum died away.

"Nudge? Need an extra pair of hands to flip some Flyboys?" Nudge had dismembered metal appendages off of the totaled Flyboys to utilize as bludgeons on Erasers. If I'd ever seen thinking outside the box it was now.

"Very advantageous," I compliment plying an arm off a capsized Flyboy.

"Just stayin' alive!" Nudge was a tireless martial artist.

"Ig!" Nudge dropped both her improvised, bloody bludgeons leaving more muggers for me.

"Nu Nudge I'm fine." Iggy stammered pressing both hands to his kidney.

"No! You're not!" She saw the wound.

"Ah no! They might've gotten one of your vitals!" Nudge became Iggy's support as put he eased onto her.

"Come on you can't stay to fight," They flapped away to the sidelines.

"We're down two fighters!" I gave the others notice.

"Be crafty with your defense!"

Gasman's head darted around on the watch for anything of his aid. Any alternatives to the ye old, ancient way of the empty hand were welcomed.

"Scarlett! Their to numerous!"

"Don't tell me that, Gasman! You call yourself an expert on explosives, right?!"

"I am really sorry, but for the first time ever I don't have any bombs on me!" Gasman did a prefect quadruple kick and finished his opponent off with a blow to the left temple.

"Hold up! A great idea just came to me, but I need back-up!" Gasman specified.

"Gotcha!" I was in front of him to smash anything coming his way.

"Right next to you dude!" Adam looked at him and smiled at me.

The Gasman knelt near to the Flyboy, picked up Nudge's bludgeon, and pounded his way into its circuitry.

"Yup standard Itex Corp. wiring!" I heard the **POP** of his knuckles as he re-wired the Flyboy.

"Whoa! What are you doing?" I said knockin' three Erasers with the leg of one.

"What you told me to do! Just go when I say so." His hands strategically extracted and re-positioned parts.

"Okay!" I trusted.

_Gasman is gonna blow up this place._ Angel warned me.

_Gulp, _I replied.

"Not long 'til I'll have it!" Gasman proceeded.

"Still fending for ya!"

"This has to work because if it doesn't I don't know what else will." Gasman inhaled.

"**GO!**"The boy bleated louder than a goat in heat. Through the dust three figures in the same instant arose with the fourth below them. Indeed, we were suited for survival.

"The mushroom cloud is coming! Flee!" Gasman knew the eminence of his W.M.D.

"Oh my God!" Nudge exclaimed seeing it all above her from the ground where she was helping Iggy.

"Sweet Jesus!" Adam was out of there.

**BOOM!** The pressure split the air and an upheaval of wreckage and all the school's ruffians fell down dead in the dirt.

"Faster! Come on!" I pivoted to motion for the others when a Flyboy clouted me. Everything blurred as the shockwave descended sending me senseless.

_**Maximum Ride**_

_Motivation. That's your drive!_ A fragment of a thought from a source unknown…?

It certainly wasn't mine.

_Angel?_

_Who's there!?_

_Who's here?_

_Was I alive?_

Oxygen in, oxygen out; it's a cycle. Oh yes, breathing; a sign of life. That answered the last question. Nerve pulses shot off to my feet, legs, torso, hands, arms, and shoulders; all other nerves replied in unison as I regained feeling. I felt my tattered jeans and t-shirt (still there, good) then a tile floor beneath me.

"Ah," I attempted any utterance of speech.

"Anybody," I formed a word.

"Yes yes, Max." A voice quickly replied from out the darkness.

"I am here like I've always been- waiting."

"Who?" I intended for my tone to sound rougher but it sounded like the first words of an infant.

"Just me," The lights flicked on revealing my surroundings of a small room with two chairs and a table and the source of the audible voice. Indeed it was just Jeb; no fear, only certainty.

"Fang is dead," Jeb couldn't be any more morbid.

"ter Botch is dead." I hissed back.

"Sit down," he told me. I got up and settled myself into a chair.

"No tears, huh?" Jeb gave me a grin.

"No." I said. _Not now,_ I thought.

"Ah, denial. When it hits you Max, you'll be heartbroken." Jeb smirked. I blinked back tears.

"Forget Fang and hear about my new providential plan."

"What's new about it?" I glared.

"All distractions you refused to give up are gone. Now I know you'll fulfill the plan indefinitely."

"Will I?" I gritted my teeth.

"It's that or your flock." The flock! Engage: protective leader mode.

"WHERE IS MY FLOCK?!"

"That's not for your knowing," Jeb affirmed with hands behind his back and strode around.

"They're just 'distractions' too, right? You're gonna kill them. Each one of them just like Fang, just like Ari, and all of your unsuccessful experiments before them!"

"I DIDN'T KILL ARI!" Jeb was enraged at my accusations.

"I bet you didn't kill Fang either." I remarked.

"Fang killed himself so you could live on to save the world." I shook my head shutting my eyes.

"He didn't have to die!" I pushed myself up on my feet ready to end Jeb.

"Maximum!" Jeb's eyes were stern, he was cross with me.

"Passing of your guilt and tainting the truth. Just. Like. Always." I had my arms crossed flumping down. Jeb sighed loudly in my face.

"Flyboy 7.647 bring all subjects in." Jeb faced the entrance to the room. Mechanical sounding steps from the hall transporting a cart approached and came to the door.

"Seven little cages crammed onto a lab cart. Who could be inside them?" My melodramatic father peered speculatively at the cart.

_Max_, Angel's telepathic voice rung in my head.

_Angel, get into Jeb's head._

_His mental blockade is unsurpassable._ Angel stated.

_But you're stronger,_ I urged her.

_I am and I will._

"Capitulate this moment or you will soon see the end Max! Give in to the glorious ways of the new world we can create together." Jeb coerced.

"Even if she did you'd get rid of us!" Iggy spoke from inside his cage of confinement.

"Iggy! Shut up!" Jeb shout at Iggy.

"No, Iggy speaks truth! You won't spare my flock even if I obeyed." The truth dawned on me. Why would I believe my manipulative, lying father for a millisecond?

"Your attachment to low things of life is damaging for you Max!" Jeb reproached.

"We are not 'low things of life'!" Nudge reviled.

"None of this pertains to any of you! Quiet!" Jeb tried to steer the situation in his favor, but these ballsy bunch of bird kids weren't letting that happen.

"If it involves our lives we are in this!" Scarlett yelled.

"Scarlett, you of all people should be silent. The Institute has accommodated comfy cages for you along with your two bunkies to reside in upon your return to New York!"

"None of us will ever see the likes of such a place when we were through with you." She argued back.

" Max, do it or die!" Jeb ignored the immediate insults from the spitfires in oversized dog kennels.

"You know my answer," My words sounded over-used and worn out. Jeb clenched a fist full of his hair and sighed.

"Max, your empathy is an obstruction to your prosperity and the betterment of the world! In all my experiences and experimentations, humanity has corrupted it all!"

"No, it is inhumanity that corrupts Mankind, the earth, and all creatures alike." I was contrary to his malign view of the world.

"You love too much therefore you will die." Jeb thrashed the table aside and surged towards me.

"If I die, I die with my flock!" I react full of aggression and ready for a good fight. Jeb scrounges for an object in the lower left pocket of his lab coat and removes a syringe. He jabbed it into a vein in his wrist optimal aim. The transformation from man to mutant was blood-curdling. His form was almost unidentifiable as it augmented into the mere muscle and fur of an Ultra-Eraser; outweighing us all by eight hundred pounds or more.

"**MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAX!**" It bellowed craving my blood. **FWOOSH! **My wings expanded to their full extent of color – dark, tan secondary and primary coverts set above the white, dappled secondary and primary feathers.

"Strike, I am ready for whatever you got! C'mon!" I taunted even if the thing couldn't comprehend English. All it did was run at me; but I dodged the beast and then thunked the nearby Flyboy to the ground to leave just the animal to brawl. I picked up the Flyboy and shot-put it at the beast to buy time to unlock cages and free my flock. I kicked cage doors in and tore of the dented metal grates. Gasman and Nudge were out first to free the rest as I had a sparring match the bounding beast.

_Angel, have you hacked into its mind?_

_Almost,_ she strained, _I must break through its acute willpower._

"You killed my brother!" Iggy went at the fiend with a spinning back fist and tornado kick.

"Eat that!" I cheered him on from in the air as he stroked t-shirt bandaging on his side. It was the wonderful work of Nudge.

"I HATE ERASERS!" Adam straight-punched the savage in the snout, but it quickly recuperated with teeth exposed and claws curled plus a deep-throated growl of a Cerberus.

"It's pissed now," Ava one-two kicked at its side and flitted back in retreat.

"Break barriers of fear Ava! Beat it to a pulp!" Nudge involved her in this game of causing pain. Nudge set an example with spin kicks to its rear. It actually yelped and lolloped for Nudge who sprung away. Eraser-Jeb took a head-on hit to the brick wall behind Nudge.

"Nice!" I high-fived Nudge.

"Ava! Now while it's down!" Scarlett advised. Ava whacked the creature repetitively with the body of the Flyboy I'd thrown at it. It was definitely woozy by now.

"Wow! Lifting has buffened you up!" Scarlett hight-tenned Ava.

"Boomshockalocka!" Ava rejoiced.

"My turn!" Gasman had finally freed his sister who was persistent in invading its mind. Gasman decided to foist his signature swift kick to the back of the head, but that infliction wasn't enough for the hell-hound to recoil up in cowardice. Instead it swatted Gazzy across the abdomen.

"Ah!" he fell over in pain. I dove to retrieve him from the floor.

"You're fine!" I air-lifted him out of the path of the canine's too-sharp incisors.

"Max move!" Adam foretold me of the snap of its chops aimed at me. I didn't dart fast enough, the teeth of it clamped onto my left leg taking me down.

_Angel! _ Gasman and I both took the impact.

_In!_ The Eraser griped loosing grip of me as it flailed its head trying to shut Angel out, but she had dominance over the mutt.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" She let out a screech struggling to stay elevated in the air. Gasman rushed to her. Angel fell to her knees in agony as she killed it off.

"**RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAOR!" ** The colossal Eraser burst our ear drums as it keeled over with its final breathes. I army crawled my way to Angel bleeding from my ears, left thigh, and lower leg.

"Angel," I whispered, "it's done for."

"And so will you be if you don't get medical attention for that leg of yours!" The caring voice of my biological sister sounded from behind me.

"Ella," I cooed.

"Max!" Mom was alarmed.

"Ella, get her a stretcher pronto!" I let my veterinarian mother take over.

"Mom! How did you find_" I grimaced.

"I've been following Fang's blog, when he hadn't update in over forty-eight hours my motherly intuition knew something was wrong. I knew exactly where you'd be." She explained as her, Ava, and Scarlett heaved me up onto the stretcher.

"Where are you taking me?" I gripped the sides of the gurney.

"The school hospital! It's just us plus staff. The company will collapse with ter Botch and your father dead. Besides, I am third in command at Itex; they'll listen for sure." My mom directed me to the familiar operating room of my childhood. Here came bad trigger.

"NO! Not here!" I vented.

"Relax Max!" My mother had Ella put an IV in me with sedatives to begin working on me.

"Everything is okay," Ella's warm smile was the last sight I beheld before I went under.

_**Scarlett, an hour later.**_

**BEEP BEEP BEEP** I heard the heart monitor from the operation room where Max was as I passed down the corridor carrying two glasses of pop.

"Ava, how's Iggy and the Gasman?" I chilled next to her in a chair and handed her one.

"Bandaged up in recovery," she sipped.

"Nudge?"

"Visiting with them," she answered.

"Angel?" I continued on with questions.

"Resting along with them. She told me that she actually stopped the heartbeat of that beast only with her mind manipulation!"

"Sheesh," I drank some fizz off the top of my glass.

"Whoo!" Dr. Martinez let a load of and entered accompanied by Ella, her assistant in surgery.

"What is it?!" I was on edge for any news.

"Max's fibula was fractured in five places, plus we stitched up a wound on her thigh." Ella delved in.

"Wait for the others to hear Ella." Dr. Martinez said. Ella nodded.

"Let's see the others," Mrs. Martinez gestured for us to head to recovery.

"Hey," Gasman greeted us when we came in.

"What happened?" Nudge was eager for details.

"Max's fibula was fractured in five places, stabbed in left thigh. In summary we fixed her up." Ella stood passionately explaining.

"She said it, Max is fine." Dr. Martinez shrugged.

"**Faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaang**!" We heard a hysteric scream from down the hall.

"The sedatives wore off!" Mrs. Martinez and Nudge sprinted back to the operation room.

"Max it's fine!" Her voice echoed as she calmed Max.

"She took a ton of trauma today," Ella muttered.

"I can hear the side effects." Iggy cringed.

"She's loud," Angel giggled with Gasman.

"Yeah," Ava and Adam nodded.

"During the surgery when sedated even still she was stirring. Her body is very accustomed to sedatives and has antibodies against them. It's like Max has trained her body to that." Iggy seemed drawn to her intelligence, and enthralling beauty. His semblance communicated great fervor for her, and it must've been hard hiding it because of his blindness.

"Resistance to the sedatives seems possible after all the stuff they injected her with." Iggy replied kindly.

"I know and towards the end when Mom was putting in the final sutures Max's eyelids fluttered and the toes on her right foot squirmed." Ella smiled at Iggy.

"Have any of you seen Fang yet?" Gasman looked to Ella.

"Yes, he's on life support." All gaped.

_**Max**_

"He's dead!" My breathe rose tremendously, my palms glistened.

"Shhh!" Nudge shushed me.

"Where's his body?" I fumed.

"I had the staff have put him on life support for the past hour. Another doctor here was able to revive his pulse and respiration but no brain waves." Mom cleared up.

"I need to see him!" I was serious.

"We'll wheel you over right away," Nudge assisted me into a wheelchair and took me down the hall past some chairs and the recovery room where all were gawking at Ella as I was rolled by. I waved.

"Max!" Scarlett stopped Nudge.

"Scarlett!" I was excited to see her.

"You saved_" We both started simultaneously and stopped short. I hugged her; at the moment that was more than what my words of gratitude could express.

"Let's see Fang," she motioned for my progression forward. Scarlett, my flock, and her flock – our flock followed us to where Fang was. I was through the door first to see Fang and the zigzag line on the heart rate monitor. Nudge pushed me up to the bed where the black-haired beauty lay breathing, but not conscious.

"Can I sit on the bed?" I requested. Nudge looked to my mom who nodded.

"Yes," she held my arms as I got up on only one leg and slipped onto the bed. I placed my hand on Fang's strapping chest. Feeling the expansion of his lungs was reassuring but still disheartening to me knowing that once he was off this machine that it was _really_ over. I lay near to him on his left side and put my head next to my hand on his chest. I permitted my hand to proceed downward. I stopped when my hand reached his firm core. My eyes closed to try and stop the tears that came but prevailed in rolling of my cheek onto his faded black, bloody shirt. I inhaled Fang and exhaled feeling my own breath off his neck.

"Fang," I whispered in his ear and prized the final moments. I clung on and wouldn't let go. Never would I release. I'd die here next to him. I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"I know Nudge," I sobbed.

"I am not touching you," Nudge sounded bewildered. Immediately my eyes flew open and broadened wider than Pangaea. It was Fang's hand. I stared up into his face and he grinned.

"Did you actually think I was dead?" He winked. I punched his shoulder.

"Don't die on me ever again or I'll rip out your spine and beat you with it!" I teased him.

"Not planning on it!" he kissed me on my tearstained cheek.


End file.
